Clashes between militias broke out in Tripoli from 26 to 27 August 2018, touching off renewed fighting in the city after 18 months of relative calm.

[11] According to analysts Wolfram Lacher and Alaa al-Idrissi, these four militias formed a "cartel" monopolizing state resources while being protected by their support for the GNA.

[11] In June 2018, Lacher and al-Idrissi further stated that "such a situation is untenable" and "risks provoking a new major conflict started by political-military forces who feel excluded from this cartel in access to the levers of the administration."

[11] Jalel Harchaoui, a Libya expert at Paris 8 University Vincennes-Saint-Denis, reported that "the four or five largest Tripoli militias have provided relative security on a daily basis, which is appreciated by the population but also foreign states interested in maintaining a diplomatic and commercial presence to take advantage of reconstruction opportunities."

[13][14] The GNA and Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, meanwhile, claimed that they had issued orders of dissolution to the 7th Brigade in April 2018, but RFI reported that the force continued to draw salaries before the Battle of Tripoli.

They did not immediately engage in combat but urged other militias to cede control of government buildings in the city centre.

Still, new militias from Misrata and Zintan as well as smaller units loyal to Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar continued to reinforce the 7th Brigade.

[18] On 4 September, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya announced the signing of a new ceasefire agreement between the armed groups in Tripoli.

[28] In mid-September, UN Special Envoy to Libya Ghassam Salamé recorded 14 ceasefire violations in one week, although he still described it as "generally respected.

[31] On 3 September 2018, the Ministry of Health published an official report recording at least 50 deaths and 138 people wounded since 27 August.