Key facts
- Masked men in military uniform attempted to storm Libya's Audit Bureau on Wednesday.
- The UN mission called the attempt "unacceptable" and a threat to the rule of law.
- The incident involved an attempt to install a disputed deputy head of the institution.
Masked men in military uniform attempted to storm the headquarters of Libya's Audit Bureau in Tripoli on Wednesday. Footage posted on social media showed a group of men in beige fatigues at the gate of the offices, which are charged with safeguarding public funds. The motive behind the attempt and the identity of the perpetrators were not immediately clear. Libya has experienced instability since the 2011 uprising, with armed factions often vying for control in the capital. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) condemned the incident, stating that "force and intimidation" were used to try to install a disputed deputy head of the institution. UNSMIL called the use of force to impose appointments "wholly unacceptable" and a grave threat to the rule of law and the independence of sovereign institutions.