Feb 3, 2025 | Uncategorized

On 3 February, the UN Panel of Experts Report dated 13 December 2024 and covering the period from 18 July 2023 to 25 October 2024 was released. The report covered many elements of interest, notably around the ‘unprecedented’ levels of influence armed groups in Libya have achieved over state institutions.

According to the report, in the West this influence affected the ability of State institutions to implement their mandates outside the interests of armed groups. In the east, Government of National Stability (GNS) bodies were used as a cover for the absolute control of the Libyan National Army (LNA) over the governance functions in that part of Libya. Saddam Haftar affirmed his control not only over the LNA land force but also in relation to the external relations strategy and economic interests of LNA.

The report said that armed groups in the west and LNA in the east operate uncontrolled, preventing government authorities from functioning outside the interests of these armed groups. The report highlighted the misuse of the Libyan judicial system by the Special Deterrence Force (Rada) – referred to in the Panel report as ‘Deterrence Apparatus for Combating Organized Crime and Terrorism’ – and the Internal Security Agency (ISA) in Tripoli. It also highlighted breaches of international humanitarian law by the Tariq bin Ziyad (TBZ) brigade, the 20/20 battalion and the LNA- controlled Internal Security Agency branch in Benghazi. The reported noted a deliberate crackdown on the freedom of expression of 11 human rights defenders, social activists and journalists targeted by these groups through acts of unlawful abduction and severe mistreatment, violent house searches, intimidation and direct threats to victims’ family members.