On 14 August, Senegalese politician and diplomat, Abdoulaye Bathily, is alleged to have been nominated as a possible new UN Special Envoy to Libya...
International actors
Our archive of international activity in Libya’s security space including military operations, the presence of foreign operatives and diplomacy pertaining to Libya’s security.
Turkey reportedly hosts Juwaili in Ankara
On 12 August, Zintani commander, Osama Juwaili, reportedly travelled to Ankara to meet with Turkish officials. The nature of the discussions is...
Haddad meets with UK MoD delegation
On 10 August, the GNU- affiliated Libyan Army Chief of General Staff, Mohammed Haddad met with a delegation from the UK’s Ministry of Defence and...
Libyan Army conducts military exercise in Mitiga with Italian presence
On 10 August, the GNU-affiliated Libyan Special Forces and the Air Force conducted a tactical military exercise at Mitiga military base in the...
Operation IRINI publishes monthly report
On 2 August, the European Union's Operation IRINI released their results report for July 2022. They reported 74 merchant ships were investigated via...
Shell reportedly falls on TIA, injures 6-11 Syrian mercenaries
On 1 August, 9 Syrian mercenaries believed to be part of the Constitution Protection Force under the Government of National Unity) Ministry of...
Saleh visits Ankara to secure backing for Bashaagha
Between 1-2 August, House of Representatives (HoR) Speaker, Aqeela Saleh, and Deputy Head Presidential Council (PC), Abdulalah al-Lafi, met with...
UNSC votes to extend UNSMIL mandate until October
On 28 July, the UN Security Council (UNSC) voted with twelve votes in favour and three abstentions to extend the mandate of the United Nations...
Turkish frigate observed outside Khoms port
On 28 July, a Turkish G-class frigate was reportedly observed off the coast of Khoms. It is unclear whether the vessel docked at Khoms port.
UNSMIL condemns clashes in Tripoli
On 22 July, United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) issued a statement condemning the clashes in Tripoli and called for all actors to...
Turkey to host Libyan and international meetings
Media reports claim Turkey is set to host a meeting in Ankara in July between House of Representatives (HoR) Speaker Aqeela Saleh, High State...
Libya Contact Group meets in Ankara
On 21 July, the Libya Contact Group – comprising the US, the UK, Italy, France, Germany, Turkey, Egypt, and the UN - met in Ankara to discuss...
US Ambassador to Libya calls for appointment of new SRSG following Williams’ departure
On 21 July, US Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, thanked Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General (SASG) Stephanie Williams for her role as...
Operation Irini finds cargo in breach of arms embargo
On 20 July, Operation Irini announced that during an inspection on 18 July it had found the MV VICTORY RORO to be transporting military vehicles to...
Reports of UK proposing Iraqi President as new UN Envoy to Libya
On 14 July, unconfirmed reports from Libyan media claimed that the UK had proposed Iraqi President Barham Salih as the potential new UN Special...
Bashaagha addresses UK Foreign Affairs Committee
On 12 July, the Government of National Stability (GNS) Prime Minister, Fathi Bashaagha, addressed the UK Foreign Affairs Committee in Arabic via...
NGO rescue vessel completes 7 rescues of migrants at sea in 10 days
On 3 July, the European NGO, SOS Mediterranee, announced that its flagship rescue vessel, Ocean Viking, had completed its seventh rescue in less...
UN-mediated talks between Saleh and Mishri fail to reach a conclusion on basis for elections
On 30 June, UN Special Advisor to the Secretary-General (SASG) Stephanie Williams confirmed that the two-day talks on 28 – 29 June in Geneva between...
US Ambassador pushes financial mechanism and oversight committee
Meetings were held from 28-29 June in Tripoli between US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland and a number of high-level Libyan figures, including...
UAE rejects proposed Algerian UN Envoy
On 23 June, the UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, submitted a proposal to the UN Security Council (UNSC) for former Algerian diplomat, Sabri...
UN recognises rollover of LPDF in absence of elections
On 22 June, the Deputy Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Farhan Haq, stated in a press briefing that the UN ‘regrets’ that several...
Reports of Wagner movement in recent weeks
Between 19 and 20 June, movements of operatives from the Russian private military contractor (PMC) the Wagner Group were observed in Tamanhint,...
Italy relaunches its mission in Misrata
On 16 June, Italian Army Corps General, Francesco Paolo Figliuolo, visited the Italian Hippocrates Task Force in Misrata. Figliuolo praised the...
Ergodan requests extension for Turkish military mission in Libya
On 13 June, the Office of Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, officially requested the Turkish parliament to grant an 18-month extension to its...
Reports of SASG Williams departing at the end of June circulate
Italian and local Libyan media reported that UN Special Advisor to the Secretary-General (SASG), Stephanie Williams, will conclude her tenure as...
French NGO holds negotiations to discuss withdrawal of Sudanese forces from Libya
Between 10-11 June, negotiations took place between Sudanese government officials and seven armed factions from the Darfur region in Niamey, Niger,...
UK reopens Embassy in Libya
On 5 June, the UK reopened its Embassy in Libya. UK Ambassador to Libya, Caroline Hurndall, gave an address that coincided with the Queen of...
UNSC extends mandate of EU’s Operation Irini
On 3 June, the UN Security Council (UNSC) adopted resolution 2365 (2022) renewing the authority of Member States and regional organisations to...
Libyan Coast Guard vessel opens fire on Italian ship
On 3 June, reports indicated that a Libyan Coast Guard vessel had opened fire on a fishing vessel on international waters off Benghazi. The Italian...
Tensions in the South related to clashes on the Libya-Chadian border
On 30 May, Chad’s Minister of Defence, General Daoud Yaya Brahim, reported that approximately 100 people have been killed and 40 injured during...
UN Security Council meeting on Libya
On 26 May, the UN Security Council (UNSC) held a briefing on Libya where the UN Under-Secretary-General for Political and Peacebuilding Affairs,...
Workshop on DDR launches in Spain, attended by UN, EU, GNU, and PC
On 23 May, a two-day workshop began on ‘International Ways to Support the Disarmament, Disarmament and Reintegration (DDR) Programme for Libya and...
UAE hosts Dabaiba and Haftar amid reports of meeting between the two men
On 21 May, the UAE hosted the Government of National Unity (GNU) Prime Minister, Abdul Hameed Dabaiba, and the head of the Libyan National Army...
France allegedly makes plans for a federalist conference on Libya
On 21 May, France was reported to be making plans to hold a conference centred on proposing a new federalist mechanism for power-sharing in Libya...
US and UK Embassies condemn clashes in Tripoli
The US and UK embassies to Libya, as well as the UN Special Advisor to the Secretary-General (SASG) Stephanie Williams, issued statements on 17 May...
HoR and HSC meet for second round of constitutional dialogue in Cairo
On 15 May, the second round of the HoR and High State Council (HSC) Joint Committee on the Constitutional roadmap in Cairo began and talks are...
GNU MoFA rejects Amnesty International reports of human rights violations
On 12 May, the Government of National Unity (GNU) Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) issued a statement accusing Amnesty International of...
Egypt seizes smuggled weapons shipment on western border with Libya
On May 9, the Egyptian Border Guard reportedly seized a large shipment of weapons, ammunition, and narcotics in the Great Sand Sea area, south of...
Turkey assists Libyan Coastguard to rescue migrants
On 5 May, seventeen migrants were rescued off the coast of Misrata by the Libyan Coastguard in coordination with the Turkish navy. The migrants were...
Lavrov claims Wagner invited to Libya by HoR, denied by HoR members
On 2 May, Russia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergei Lavrov, stated in an interview with the Italian broadcaster Mediaset that the Wagner Group...
UNSC extends UNSMIL mandate through end of July
On 29 April, the UN Security Council (UNSC) extended the mandate of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) until 31 July 2022. The UK,...
ICC briefs UNSC on Libya
On 28 April, International Criminal Court (ICC) Prosecutor Karim Khan briefed the UN Security Council (UNSC) on the situation in Libya. The ICC...
Dabaiba travels to Algeria with GNU delegation
On 23 April, following a visit by a senior Government of National Unity (GNU) delegation to Algeria days before, Algerian President Abdelmadjid...
Images surface of dead soldiers in Ukraine carrying Libyan banknotes and Haftar’s number
Last week, images surfaced on social media purportedly showing dead Wagner operatives in Popasna, eastern Ukraine. According to Ukrainian sources,...
UNSC holds consultation on UNSMIL
On 19 April, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) held consultations on the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), the mandate of...
EU official: 20,000 mercenaries from Syria and Libya in Ukraine
On 19 April, western media sources reported that an anonymous European Union (EU) official had claimed that 10,000 to 20,000 mercenaries were on the...
LNA 5+5 JMC meets with UN officials
On 13 April, the Assistant Secretary-General and Acting Head of United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Raisedon Zenenga, met with Libyan...
UN launches and concludes Joint HOR/HCS Committee meeting in Cairo
On 13 April, the Special Advisor to the UN Secretary-General (SASG) on Libya, Stephanie Williams, launched consultations of the Joint Committee of...
Libya votes in favour of suspending Russia from the UNHRC
On 7 April, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution calling for Russia to be suspended from the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), with Libya...
Turkish military plane touches down at Watiya Airbase
On 6 April, flight trackers identified a suspected Turkish military cargo plane arriving at Libya's Al-Watiya Air Base, north of Zintan. This...
Change of command at Operation Irini
On 1 April, Operation EUNAVFOR MED IRINI, whose mandate includes capacity building and training of the Libyan Coast Guard, changed its Force...
US unveils 10 year plan for stability in Libya
On 1 April, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken tweeted that ‘together with our partners, we will implement the 10-year Strategy to Prevent...
Germany to stop providing training to Libya’s coast guard
On 30 March, Germany announced it would no longer provide training to Libya’s coast guard due to concerns over the treatment of migrants. Andrea...
HoR a no show at UN-facilitated HCS and HoR joint committee meeting in Tunis
On 25 March, SASG Stephanie William issued a statement highlighting the conclusion of a three-day consultative meeting with the 12-member HSC...
Unverrified documents surface showing Russia declining LNA support in Ukraine
On 25 March, a series of unverified documents surfaced online purportedly showing the head of the LNA Khalifa Haftar offering military support to...
UNSMIL convenes 6+6 Joint Committee in Tunis
On 22 March, the UN’s Special Advisor of the Secretary General (SASG) on Libya, Stephanie Williams, convened the first meeting of the 6+6 Joint...
Norland meets with Dabaiba
On 16 March, US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland met with Dabaiba to discuss the current political crisis, efforts to prevent the outbreak of...
Chechen President speaks with Dabaiba
On 13 March, Dabaiba spoke with the President of the Chechen Republic, Ramzan Kadyrov. Reports indicate that the conversation focussed on boosting...
Ukrainian intelligence accuses Russia of transferring Libyan mercenaries to fight in Ukraine
On 12 March, the head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Defence of Ukraine, Brigadier General Kirill Budanov, claimed that...
UNSMIL urges restraint amid armed group mobilisation in Tripoli
On 10 March, UNSMIL issued a statement saying that it was closely following with concern reports about the mobilization of forces and movement of...
P3+2 and EU issue joint statement
On 4 March, the governments of France, Germany, Italy, the US and the UK released a joint statement noting the UN Secretary-General’s statement and...
UN concern over HoR vote and pushes UN-led HoR-HSC mediation initiative
On 2 March, the UN released a statement attributable to the Secretary-General expressing concern that the House of Representatives’ (HoR) vote of...
LNA conducts military operation south of Kufra
On 27 February, the LNA’s Commander of the Moral Guidance Department, Khaled Mahjoub, reported that clashes broke out between the LNA’s Subul...
Wagner operatives withdrawn from Sokna
Over the last fortnight, reports emerged that operatives from the Russian private military contractor (PMC) Wagner Group have withdrawn from their...
Erdogan makes neutral statement about Dabaiba and Bashaagha
On 16 February, Turkish President Recep Erdogan upon returning from Dubai told reporters that: ‘Fathi Bashaagha has announced his candidacy. Our...
Russia insists HoR decision must be respected
On 14 February, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson, Maria Zakhaqrova, stated that Moscow hoped a new government led by Fathi Bashaagha would be...
Gutteres notes HoR decision on new PM
On 11 February, the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General (UNSG), Stéphane Dujarric, released a statement on behalf of the UNSG Antonio Guterres...
Egypt comments on HoR announcements
On 10 February, the Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs released a statement in the wake of the HoR's appointment of Fathi Bashaagha as PM...
UN publishes terrorist monitoring report
On 3 February, the UN Security Council published the ‘Twenty-ninth report of the Analytical Support and Sanctions Monitoring Team concerning ISIL...
UN Special Envoy position remains unfilled
On 1 February, the UN Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, Farhan Haq, stated that no individual had been proposed to assume...
Williams warns of prolonged election delay
In an interview with The Guardian on 31 January, Williams stated ‘My fear is that some people may now manoeuvre for a prolonged period of delay. The...
UNSMIL mandate extended until April 2022
On 31 January, the UN Security Council (UNSC) voted for a technical roll over of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) mandate for three months...
GNU delegation travels to Chad to discuss border security
On 25 January, GNU Prime Minister Dabaiba, Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush, Interior Minister Khaled Mazen, and Chief of Staff Mohamed al-Haddad,...
UNSC briefing on Libya
On 24 January, the UN Security Council held a briefing on Libya at which a number of figures addressed the council including Ambassador Jeffrey...
Williams resumes consultations with Libyan actors
On 23 January, UN Special Advisor to Libya, Stephanie Williamsmet with the Speaker of the HoR, Aqeela Saleh, in al-Qubba to discuss the political...
Italian military mission in Misrata faces logistical issues
On 15 January, Italian media reported on a series of logistical issues associated with Italy’s Bilateral Mission of Assistance and Support in Libya...
Williams meets with Turkish officials in Ankara
On 15 January, UN Special Advisor on Libya Stephanie Williams met with the Turkish Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sedat Unal, and Turkish...
LNA Battalion in Kufra orders closure of Sudanese-Libyan border due to unrest
On 13 January, the LNA’s Subul al-Salam Battalion (Ways of Peace) based in Kufra announced that it has closed all border crossings with Chad and...
Sudanese Rapid Support Forces thwart smuggling of munitions at Libyan border
On 10 January, a Sudanese military official announced that Sudanese Rapid Support Forces had thwarted an attempt to smuggle ammunition across the...
Williams says LPDF extends until June 2022
On 9 January, the UN Special Advisor on Libya, Stephanie Williams, met with the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) women's bloc to discuss the...
France says 300 mercenaries have left eastern Libya
On 4 January, a Spokesperson from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Anne-Claire Legendre, confirmed that 300 foreign mercenaries have left...
UNSMIL continues broad consultations with Libyan actors
Throughout the last week, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the Special Advisor on Libya, Stephanie Williams, continued their...
France, Germany, Italy, UK, and US release a Joint Statement on election delay
On 24 December, France, Germany, Italy, the United Kingdom, and the US released a Joint Statement recognising HNEC’s postponement of the ballot...
UNSMIL expresses concern about security situation in Tripoli
On 21 December, UNSMIL issued a statement expressing concern at the unfolding security situation in Tripoli. It stated that the mobilisation of...
5+5 JMC discusses Action plan and unification with Williams in Sirte
On 18 December, the UN’s newly appointed Special Advisor on Libya, Stephanie Williams, met with the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) at its...
New UN Special Advisor Williams arrives in Tripoli
On 12 December, UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) welcomed the newly-appointed Special Adviser to the Secretary-General on Libya, Stephanie...
Turkish frigate off Tripoli coast
A Turkish frigate has been reported off the coast of the Abu Sittah naval base. Later in the week, Turkey's Ministry of National Defense posted...
5+5 JMC meet in Moscow
On 8 December, the 5+5 JMC travelled to Moscow to discuss their Action Plan for the withdrawal of foreign fighters from Libya with Russian...
Guterres appoints Williams as Special Advisor
On 6 December, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres announced that he was appointing former acting UN Envoy to Libya and former Deputy Head of the...
5+5 JMC to meet with Turkish and Russian officials to discuss next steps of Action Plan
On 3 December, the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) Director of Moral Guidance Department stated that the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC)...
Russia and Turkey express concern about elections follow candidate exclusions
On 25 November, the Turkish National Security Council, following a meeting chaired by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, released a statement...
French company Nexa accused of selling phone call interception software to the LNA
Last week, it was reported that France’s Central Office for Combatting Crimes Against Humanity, Genocide and War Crimes (OCLCH) was investigating...
Kubis to depart on 10 December amid rumours UK diplomat a likely replacement
On 24 November, UN Special Envoy to Libya, Jan Kubis, addressed the UN Security Council where he confirmed his resignation from his position with...
UN Envoy to Libya resigns ahead of UNSC meetings
On 23 November, Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported that the Head of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and UN Special Envoy to Libya, Jan...
Russian military officials meet with GNU Chief of Staff in Tripoli
On 14 November, the Chief of General Staff of the Government of National Unity (GNU) Ministry of Defence, Mohammed Haddad, met with a Russian...
LNA agrees to withdraw 300 foreign operatives from Libya at France’s request
On 11 November, the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) representatives from the Libyan National Army (LNA) issued a statement announcing that, at...
5+5 scheduled to meet with Turkey and Russia later this month
On 4 November, Emraji al-Emmami, a member of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC), stated that the JMC would be meeting separately with officials...
SOHR reports Turkey replaced 150 Syrian mercenaries
On 2 November, the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR) reported that 150 Syrian mercenaries had returned to Syria, with a fresh cohort of the...
5+5 JMC meet in Cairo for talks on the withdrawal of foreign forces
On 30 October, members of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) convened in Cairo to discuss the withdrawal of foreign operatives from southern...
UNSC sanctions manager of the Nasr Detention Centre
On 26 October the UN Security Council added Osama al-Koni Ibrahim, who manages the Nasr Detention Centre, to its sanctions list, accusing him of...