On 19 February, the Military Prosecutor ordered an investigation into Milad al-Sanki al-Suwai, commander of the General Intelligence Service (GIS) Misrata branch, regarding the recent arrest of Abrik al-Mazeg al‑Zwai, a leading member of the Ajdabiya Revolutionary Shura Council. He was reportedly ordered to do so by Government of National Unity (GNU) Minister of Defence (MoD) Undersecretary for Regions and Military Affairs MG Abdussalam al-Zoubi.
On 20 February in the late afternoon, about 120 to 150 protesters gathered in front of the GIS HQ, including local residents, displaced families from eastern Libya, members of former eastern Shura Councils, and a few members of the city’s Council of Elders. They condemned the kidnapping of Abrik al- Mazeg, a ‘displaced resident from Ajdabiya’, by the GIS and expressed outrage at reports that his family had been threatened and intimidated.
The demonstrators demanded Mazeg’s immediate release and accountability for anyone involved in his abduction and attempted to breach the facility. They also called for the GIS building to be placed under the authority of Misrata military authorities or another official security body, warning that such violations undermine public safety and trust in security and judicial institutions. Subsequently, several armed groups mobilized throughout the city.
In the early evening, on order of al-Zoubi, the Libyan Army’s 63rd Brigade stormed and seized the GIS compound. GIS commander al-Suwai was severely beaten and detained, along with several other GIS officers. Later on, al-Suwai was referred for investigation regarding the Abrik al-Mazeg case and other alleged violations at the camp. GIS elements present in the compound were chased away. Their vehicles were confiscated.
Meanwhile, another group held a rally outside the Military Prosecutor’s office in Misrata, rejecting the presence of extremist elements in the city and calling for the release of security personnel detained for arresting ‘wanted militants’.
During the night, the Libyan Army’s Central Military District issued a formal order ‘based on the instructions of the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defense for Regions and Military Affairs’ assigning control of the GIS HQ to a joint force coordinated by the 63rd Brigade comprising the Counterterrorism Force, the 53rd Brigade, the 211th Battalion and the 417th Battalion. The Judicial Police was ordered to take over al-Kararim Prison.
On 21 February, the 63rd Brigade formally assumed control of the GIS compound in a handover-takeover from GIS officials.
Local notables said the city remains divided between supporters and opponents of al‑Zoubi’s move, warning that the situation threatens Misrata’s security and social stability. [O-B2] The leaders of the Misrata Revolutionary Brigades issued a statement condemning the attack on the GIS HQ and rejecting al-Suwai’s arrest as an ‘assault by Zoubi’s armed groups’.
A group of citizens of Misrata condemned the storming of the GIS HQ by forces loyal to Zoubi and claimed that this reflects ‘the extent of the security breakdown in the city’. The residents stressed that these developments are occuring at a time when the state is detaining dangerous individuals involved in terrorism and serious crimes. They warned that any attempt to create disorder or interfere with legal procedures poses a direct threat to public safety, undermines state authority, and opens the door to blackmail and pressure on national institutions. The statement concluded by affirming that Misrata will not become a space for chaos or a refuge for terrorism, and that it will remain committed to legality, national security, and defending the country against anyone seeking to destabilize it.
On 22 February all assigned units of the joint force were in place at the GIS HQ. As of 24 February, there has been no official update on the whereabouts of al-Mazeg and he does not appear to have been released.