Child among several killed in renewed militia clashes in western Libya

A new round of infighting between militias in western Libya has killed at least five people, including a 10-year-old girl, health authorities have said, the latest bout of violence to rock the North African nation mired in decades-long chaos.

The fighting broke out on Sunday between rival militias in the western town of Zawiya, where armed groups — like in many other towns and cities in oil-rich Libya — are competing for influence.

Along with the five who were killed, at least 13 other civilians were wounded in the clashes that continued overnight, the Health Ministry’s emergency services said.

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The fighting trapped dozens of families living in the area for hours, said Malek Merset, a spokesperson for the emergency services.

Local media reported that one militia fired at a member of its rivals, wounding a militiaman who was taken to hospital.

The violence was the latest between militias in western Libya. In August, clashes in the capital of Tripoli killed more than 30 people, one of the deadliest bouts of fighting in Libya in many months.

Libya was plunged into chaos after a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

READ MORE: Why Libya's rival factions have escalated tensions in the capital Tripoli