Tripoli, Jun 24 (IANS): Libya's Interior Ministry has condemned the deadly clashes that broke out between armed groups in the capital Tripoli.

"The Interior Ministry has followed up with great concern the tragic events that took place in the capital Tripoli late on Wednesday, when clashes erupted between two security agencies that are not affiliated to the Interior Ministry, causing human casualties, damaging property, and frightening civilians," the Ministry said in a statement on Thursday.

"The Ministry condemns those clashes, which occur from time to time and stoke panic and fear among people. Such clashes undermine the Ministry's policy to maintain security and protect people's lives and public property," it added.

In addition, the Ministry denounced road blocking as a means of expressing political or social disapproval because it "harms people's interests of using public roads".

Two armed groups engaged in fighting in central Tripoli late Wednesday, resulting in the deaths of a civilian and three armed militants, according to local media reports.

On Thursday, an armed group blocked a main road in eastern Tripoli to protest against the release of a militia leader from jail, Xinhua news agency reported.

Libya has been suffering escalating violence and instability ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011.