Misrata – An ammunition depot exploded Friday in the Yadr neighborhood of Misrata, scattering shells into nearby homes. The blast reignited concerns about the government’s failure to relocate weapons storage facilities away from residential areas, despite a decision ordering their removal more than a year ago.
According to initial reports, the depot belonged to an armed group led by Abdeljalil Al-Mazeg. Photos and videos shared online showed artillery shells landing inside neighboring houses. The explosion highlighted the ongoing danger posed by storing ammunition in densely populated areas, putting residents at risk of stray projectiles with no control over what is kept near their homes.
A video from the scene captured Al-Mazeg shouting that “enemy aircraft” bombed his group’s headquarters, the depot, and vehicles equipped with medium weapons. He did not specify which party he considered the enemy. This claim could not be independently verified, and the actual cause of the blast remains unclear pending a thorough investigation.
The incident again raises the issue of why ammunition and armed vehicles remain in residential neighborhoods, and who is responsible for exposing civilians to such risks—regardless of the blast’s cause.
On September 1, 2025, Deputy Defense Minister Abdulsalam Al-Zoubi issued Decision No. 390, forming a committee to identify sites for weapons depots outside residential areas and to supervise relocation. The military commander for the central region was tasked with implementing the order.
More than a year later, the Yadr explosion makes clear that the dangers targeted by the decision still exist in populated parts of Misrata. The blast prompts questions about how many depots have actually been moved, which ones remain, and whether authorities are effectively monitoring the situation.
Past incidents underline the scale of the problem. According to a report published on August 22 by Al-Marsad, there have been seven recorded ammunition depot explosions in Misrata since 2013, not including those hit during the 2019 war. A blast in Sikirat on August 31, 2025, wounded 16 people. Another explosion at the ‘Al-Eisar’ Brigade depot in Ghiran last August revived demands for action when shells fell on surrounding neighborhoods.
The Yadr incident adds to this pattern and renews pressing questions about accountability for storing ammunition near civilian homes.
Repeated incidents put Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah’s government and his deputy defense minister under pressure to clarify how many depots have actually been relocated, the locations of those still in use, and who has the authority to force armed groups to comply.
Friday’s blast also raises specific questions: Was the Yadr site surveyed or inspected? Were there any instructions for its evacuation? Which authority was monitoring its status before the explosion?
With dangerous depots still scattered among neighborhoods, residents are left exposed as government relocation efforts remain incomplete. From Sikirat to Ghiran and now Yadr, the names and locations may change, but the fundamental question remains: When will the government’s pledges finally translate into real protection for civilians before another explosion occurs?
