By Victor Kanayo
A highly anticipated Tripoli football derby between Al-Ittihad and Al-Ahly ended in chaos as violent scenes unfolded both on and off the pitch.
While the crisis interrupted the match abruptly in the 39th minute of the first half, several damages were recorded as vehicles and other facilities were destroyed.
This was after Al-Ahly fans stormed the field in protest of a goal scored by rivals Al-Ittihad.
Further reports revealed that the situation quickly deteriorated, forcing the Portuguese referee and Al-Ittihad players to flee the pitch for their safety.
Tensions escalated further outside the stadium where a riot broke out.
Al-Ahly supporters reportedly attacked security personnel and, in a shocking turn, set fire to Al-Ittihad’s team bus and a police car.
The violence once again draws attention to the persistent issue of fan disorder in Libyan football, which has long been under scrutiny for safety concerns.
No official statement yet from the Libyan Football Federation on the incident as at the time of filing this report.
