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.
On 10 October, Italy invited the head of Libya’s House of Representatives to its “Sicily” international conference on Libya in November. Two days earlier Russia’s Foreign Minister confirmed that a Russian representative would attend.
On 2 October, Italy’s Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi stated that Italy would hold an international conference on Libya in the Sicilian capital of Palermo on 12 and 13 November.
On 26 September, an unidentified foreign aircraft launched an airstrike overnight in the vicinity of Hay al-Baladya, near Ubari. It is unclear who the specific targets were. No group has claimed responsibility. On 28 September, the US and the UK signed an agreement with DCA Mine Action to continue supporting demining projects near Sirte.
On 24 September, France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian called for stronger UN sanctions on Libyans attempting to block a political solution to the current crisis.
On 11 September, the UN Security Council Committee sanctioned rebel militant Ibrahim Jadhran. The following day, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control also sanctioned Jadhran for his attacks on the Oil Crescent.
On 10 September, Italian Foreign Minister Enzo Moavero Milanesi held a meeting with Libyan National Army Commander Khalifa Haftar in al-Rajma, Benghazi.
On 28 August, US AFRICOM said it had killed a suspected ISIS fighter in an airstrike in Bani Walid. UNSMIL held a meeting on 4 September with all involved parties in Tripoli to try and reach a ceasefire agreement.
On 28 August, US AFRICOM said it had killed a suspected ISIS fighter in an airstrike in Bani Walid in coordination with the GNA. It didn’t name the person who was killed, but local residents named him as Walid Bu Hariba, a Libyan from Sirte.
On 19 August, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) issued a statement condemning militia groups acting under the Ministry of Interior of the Government of National Accord (GNA) for attacking sovereign institutions.
On 9 August, the House of Representatives (HoR) Committee of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation declared Italian Ambassador Giuseppe Perrone as a ‘persona non-grata’. The decree is in response to his comments last week that were widely interpreted as dismissing Libyan elections.
On 2 August, South Korean redirected the naval ship “Munmu the Great” from anti-piracy operations in the Gulf of Aden to Libya in order to protect South Korean commercial vessels. This action is thought to be a “show of force” in response to the kidnapping of a Korean technician.
On 30 July, Italy’s Prime Minister, Giuseppe Conte, told reporters following a White House meeting with US President Donald Trump that he would be organizing an international conference to look for ways to stabilise Libya.
On 18 July, Italian embassy and security officials accompanied the head of the maritime sector branch within the Government of National Accord’s Ministry of Interior for an official visit to Tripoli port and discussed plans to establish a joint Libyan-Italian maritime operations centre in Tripoli port.
On 14 July, Federica Mogherini, the EU’s foreign policy head, visited Tripoli to reestablish the EU’s diplomatic presence in Libya. In a statement, Mogherini restated the EU’s support for the UN initiative for elections and discussed ways to secure Libya’s land borders and train its coast guard.
On 7 July, Italy reactivated a Qadhafi era “friendship treaty” with Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) that will see the European country give Libya $5 billion to prevent migrants from traveling over the Mediterranean.
On 24 June, Egypt’s Prosecutor-General, Nail Sadek, called for a ‘red notice’ to be issued by Interpol for the arrest of three Libyan ISIS members. On 27 June, Libyan national Ahmed Abu Khatallah was sentenced to 22 years in a US federal prison for his role in the 11 September 2012 terrorist attack on the US Special Mission in Benghazi.
On 20 June, U.S Africa Command (AFRICOM) released a statement refuting local claims of civilian casualties from drone strikes it conducted near Bani Walid on 5 June that killed four ISIS members.
On 13 June, U.S Africa Command (AFRICOM), in cooperation with the Government of National Accord (GNA), conducted a drone strike killing an alleged member of al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb approximately 50 miles southeast of Bani Walid.
On 5 June, U.S AFRICOM conducted a drone strike near Eshmikh, 35 km south of Bani Walid, killing four alleged ISIS members. On 6 June, the UN Security Council (UNSC) gathered to discuss the results of the 29 May Paris summit on Libya. On 7 June, the UNSC Libya Sanctions Committee added 6 individuals to their sanctions list.
On 31 May, an agreement to secure and control Libya’s southern border was signed by Libya, Niger, Sudan, and Chad in the latter’s capital of N’Djamena. The details of how the agreement will be enacted and how this burden will be shared remains unclear.
On 29 May, French President Emmanuel Macron hosted a Libya summit where Government of National Accord (GNA) Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj, President of the House of Representatives (HoR) Agilah Saleh, President of the High Council of State (HCS) Khaled Mishri, and General Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalifa Haftar agreed to hold ‘credible, peaceful’ parliamentary and presidential elections on 10 December 2018, and to respect the results of the election.
On 10 May, the Egyptian army announced it had foiled an “infiltration attempt” across its western border with Libya after reportedly destroying 4 vehicles. This week the UK issued a formal apology for extraditing Abdul Hakim Belhadj, a former leader of the Libyan Islamic Fighting Group and a key Feb17 military commander, to Qadhafi before the 2011 revolution.
On 4 May, Russia’s MoD, Sergey Shoigu, held a video-conference talk with LNA head Khalifa Haftar. The day before, on 3 May, GNA Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Siala, held talks with Russian Minister Foreign Affairs Deputy Mikhail Bogdanov and Russia’s Security Council Secretary Nikolay Patrushev in Moscow.
On 30 April, the Libya Quartet said it supports Libya holding presidential and parliamentary elections this year. On 29 April, Egypt and France agreed that elections should be held in Libya before the end of 2018. On 27 April, the US and Libya’s GNA signed a Memorandum of Intent for airport security and a Letter of Agreement to support Libyan policing, prisons and justice sector development.
US House Foreign Affairs Committee hold a Subcommittee hearing on the status of Libya while Senegal decided to deport two former Guantánamo prison detainees to Libya.
On 14 April, attempts to negotiate peace between the Awlad Suliman, Tebu and Tuareg tribes, who have been clashing in and around the southern Libya city of Sebha since February of this year, have moved to Niger and are allegedly being facilitated by French diplomats after multiple attempts to reach a solution to the fighting have failed.
On 10 April, the UN released a report exploring armed groups control of prisons in Libya, the subsequent torturing of detainees and how successive government in Tripoli have been inability to curtail these activities. On 5 April, UNSMIL launched its first round of ‘consultative meetings’ in Benghazi and Zuwara, as part of the UN-initiated Libya National Forum followed by meetings in Ghariyan and Brak al-Shatti on 7 April and in Abu Salim on 10 April.
On 28 March, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that on 24 March it had coordinated with the Libyan Government of National Accord to conduct drone strikes targeting a house near Ubari, killing two militants that belonged to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM). It disclosed that the strikes had killed Musa Abu Dawud, a high-ranking AQIM official.
On 24 March, the US military undertook drone strikes targeting a house near Ubari, allegedly killing two militants that belonged to al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb. On 22 March, the UN Special Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame briefed to the UNSC and conceded that an amendment to the Libyan Political Agreement leading to a final unified government before elections was unlikely.
On 20 March, former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was reportedly remanded in custody for questioning in relation to an ongoing investigation concerning the provision of financial assistance to his 2007 election campaign by Muammar al-Qadhafi.
On 8 March, a spokesman for the U.S. African Command (AFRICOM), Major Karl J. Wiest, stated that an additional four airstrikes had been carried out against IS fighters in Libya over the last 14 months. On 11 March, the Egyptian army announced it had foiled another attempt to “infiltrate” its western border with Libya after reportedly destroying 5 vehicles loaded with arms and ammunition on the Libyan border.
On 4 March, the Egyptian army announced it had foiled an “infiltration attempt” across its western border with Libya after reportedly destroying 11 vehicles loaded with arms and ammunition on the Libyan border.
On 26 February, the US imposed sanctions on several Libyan, Maltese and Egyptian firms, traders and ships reportedly participating in oil smuggling. On 23 February, the US and GNA signed an agreement to restrict the import of Libyan cultural property to the US.
On 12 – 14 February, the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue facilitated talks between a range of different senior Libyan actors in Geneva. On 15 February, the Egyptian army announced it had foiled an “infiltration attempt” on the Libyan border. On 13 February, it was confirmed the UNGA had suspended Libya’s right to vote at the UN for the third year in a row.
On 9 February, US President Donald Trump extended the national emergency pursuant to the International Emergency Economic Powers Act for Libya. On 12 February, Ambassador of the Netherlands to Libya announced the opening of a diplomatic office in Tripoli. On 8 February, the Italian government announced an additional 80 million Euros in its African Fund to fight illegal migration.
On 1 February, UNSMIL said more than 200 tons of Explosive Remnants of War had been destroyed in Libya. On 1 February, HRW published a report suggesting armed groups with links to Khalifa Haftar’s LNA are preventing at least 3,700 families from returning to Benghazi. On 1 February, Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, launched the new Joint Operation Themis to assist Italy in its border control activities.
UNSMIL and the ICC have condemned the summary executions of 10 LNA prisoners by Mahmoud al-Werfalli in Benghazi on 24 January and called for the implementation of the ICC arrest warrant for Werfalli. On 25 January, UNSMIL launched an appeal for US$313 million from donors as part of its 2018 Libya Humanitarian Response Plan.
On 17 January, the Italian parliament voted to increase its military presence in Libya to combat illegal immigration and counter terrorism threats. Italian forces are currently positioned in Misrata to manage the military hospital established in September 2016 during the anti-ISIS operations in Sirte.
On 10 January, UN Under Secretary General Jeffery Feltman visited Libya and held meetings with Government of National Accord institutions in Tripoli. Feltman reiterated the UN’s backing of UN Envoy Ghassan Salame’s Libya Action Plan, stating there was a “window of opportunity” to successfully end the transition with the Libyan Political Agreement.
On 8 January, Government of National Accord (GNA) head Fayez al-Serraj met with UN Envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame in Tripoli to discuss the latest political developments in Libya. On 5 January, the German Foreign and Defense Ministries completed the destruction of components from Muammar al-Qadhafi’s chemicals weapons programme.
On 28 December, the UN envoy Ghassan Salame said he would not enter any dialogue with Saif al-Islam Qadhafi due to the ICC warrant against him.
There has been growing international criticism of Libyan National Army general commander Khalifa Haftar following his speech on 17 December where he declared the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) and its institutions expired. On 21 December, French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian visited Haftar and had ‘frank discussions’ for an hour, after which he told press […]
On 17 December, a new joint statement was issued by the regional troika, Tunisia, Egypt and Algeria, reaffirming their full backing to the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) and the military unification process. A statement issued by the UN Security Council President on 15 December, as well as statements by the UN envoy Ghassan Salame throughout the last two weeks, maintain that the 17 December date was a ‘non-date’ and that the LPA remains the only legitimate political framework. On December 12, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov held talks with the GNA Foreign Minister Mohamed Siala in Moscow.
On 10 December, Libyan military officers met in Cairo for the 4th round of the Libyan army unification talks. On December 4, Fayez al-Serraj and US Secretary Steven T. Mnuchin discussed the importance of continued cooperation between the U.S and Libya in countering the financing of terrorism.
On 30 November, Government of National Accord (GNA) Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj met with Secretary of Defense James Mattis at the Pentagon to discuss defense relationships and regional security challenges. This included concerns about how ISIS and al-Qaeda are “taking advantage of ungoverned spaces in Libya to establish sanctuaries for plotting inspiring and directing terrorist […]
AFRICOM confirmed that US forces conducted two airstrikes against ISIS targets near Fuqaha on 17 and 19 November. On 22 November, the Egyptian air force said that it destroyed 10 vehicles attempting to smuggle arms and ammunition through Libya’s western border into Egypt. The Anti Terror Quartet countries added more Libyan nationals to its ‘terrorist’ list.
On 18 November, the head of the GNA, Fayez al-Serraj, held a meeting with US Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan in Libya. During the meeting Serraj requested the US continue supporting Libya by helping to “sufficiently” arm its anti-terror organizations. Salame said joint tribunals may be one solution to address lawlessness and impunity in Libya.
On 9 November, Mustafa al-Imam, a suspect in the September 2012 attack against the US Special Mission in Benghazi entered a plea of not guilty to terrorism-related charges in the US District Court. President Sisi claims ISIS fighters are entering Egypt through Libya as the Egyptian military claims it destroyed 10 vehicles carrying weapons from Libya. ICC prosecutor Fatou Bensouda promised to seek new arrest warrants in Libya if war crimes continue.
On 1 November, British police issued an arrest warrant for Hasham Abedi, the brother of the Manchester bomber. Rada is holding him and said they might cooperate. Law suits for war crimes are being filed against Haftar and his family in the US, while Haftar has hired a Washington lobbyist to improve his image.
US Special Operations forces captured 2012 Benghazi Special Mission attack suspect Mustafa al-Imam in Misrata on 29 October. It is reported that Imam was flown to a US Navy vessel and will be transported to the US to face federal prosecution for his alleged involvement in the 2012 attack. On 30 October, the third round of ‘Libyan-Libyan’ meeting between LNA and Misrata military officers was held in Cairo as part of the talks to reunify the Libyan army.
On 22 October, the second batch of meetings in the UN-facilitated Libyan political talks concluded without setting a plan or agenda for the next gathering. Salame insists that in spite of controversy over ‘bottle neck’ issues, there was progress made in the latest discussions. On 23 October, the Egyptian military reported that its air force struck a convoy of eight vehicles carrying munitions near Egypt’s western border with Libya.
On 15 October, the UN Support Mission in Libya’s (UNSMIL) new Joint Drafting Committee, including members of both the House of Representatives (HoR) and the High Council of State (HCS), met again in Tunis to negotiate amendments to the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA). In particular, they debated the final draft articles concerning the appointment of the Prime Minister (PM), the Government and the new Presidential Council (PC).
Ghassan Salame met with the Khalifa Haftar, in Benghazi on 5 October, a day after the UN representative met with Ageelah Saleh, leader of the HoR. Following the meeting Salame confirmed that Haftar has stated his support for the new UN roadmap for Libya. UNSC affirms that it “Endorses the UN’s Action Plan for the resumption of an inclusive Libyan-owned political process. Prior to this announcement, the UNSC extended its authorization to seize vessels suspected of smuggling and human trafficking through Libya until fall of 2018.
On 26 September, US Africom conducted ‘two precision airstrikes’ against ISIS fighters some 160 kilometres southeast of Sirte, killing an unspecified number of ISIS fighters. On 30 September, the UN’s Joint Drafting Committee declared it had reached the first set of agreements on amendments to the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) in Tunis, as Haftar visited senior officials in Italy and France.
On 20 September, Salame outlined the proposed new UN roadmap for Libya at a high level meeting on Libya at UNGA. The roadmap consists of a 3 stage process: limited amendments to the LPA, a National Congress Conference of all Libyan actors to agree and endorse the new government and constitutional amendments, and finally a referendum and elections.
On 15 September, the UN Security Council issued resolution 2376 extending the UNSMIL mandate for another year. On 14 September, UN envoy Ghassan Salame briefed the foreign ministers of America, Italy, the UAE, Egypt and France in London at the talks organized by the British FM. LNA Commander Haftar met with Congolese President, Denis Sassou Nguesso; Tunisian President, Beji Caid Essebsi; and US ambassador to Libya, Peter Bodde.
On 5 September, Italy’s Interior Minister Marco Minitti visited LNA Commander Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi just a day after the French FM Jean-Yves Le Drian completed his tour of Libya. The new UNSMIL chief Ghassan Salamé is said to be frustrated by the succession of independent bilateral attempts to broker a solution to Libya’s crises, particularly ahead of the UN General Assembly’s meeting on Libya on 20 September.
The French Foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian visited Libya on 4 September. A French diplomatic source said the visit was intended to dovetail with efforts by U.N. Envoy Ghassan Salamé to announce a road map to elections during the coming U.N. General Assembly.
British FM met with Haftar in Benghazi, marking a turning point in the UK’s recognition of Haftar as a major player. However, Johnson warned the Haftar to abide by the Paris agreement made in July. On 28 August, Macron hosted a meeting with EU and North African countries on the Libyan migrant crisis.
The new UN Special Envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salame, visited all of Libya’s main power-broker cities on a one-week tour throughout the country. On 19 August, HoR President Ageelah Saleh arrived in Jordan for a three-day visit for talks with various Jordanian dignitaries, including King Abdullah. On 21 August, foreign ministers of Russia and Egypt met and reaffirmed the need for stronger inclusiveness of all Libyan parties.
A team of Italian military and security advisors visited Sirte’s al-Qardabiyah airport to assess ‘reconstruction.’ The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for LNA’s Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf al-Werfalli. There are reports that an armed security contingent for the UN is planned to offload in Khoms port.
On August 3, an Italian naval patrol boat, the Commandante Borsini, arrived in Tripoli with a group of experts for a five-day working visit; a second vessel is expected to replace it on August 8. LNA commander Khalifa Haftar called on Libyan armed forces in the west to repel Italian vessels with force should they enter Libyan waters. Those who oppose the Italians see their presence as a violation of Libyan sovereignty and evidence of imperial intent.
On 27 July, the UN Security Council (UNSC) announced its support for the joint declaration issued following the meeting between Serraj and Haftar in Paris. The US State Department published a similar endorsement and restated its commitment to peace in Libya. On 30 July, large delegations from eastern Libya, including HoR president Agilah Saleh, attended meetings in Cairo facilitated by the Egyptian Foreign Minister and Chief of Staff.
On 25 July, LNA Commander Haftar and GNA PM agree to a ceasefire and 2018 elections after meeting in France hosted by Emmanuel Macron. Italy is reportedly unsettled by France’s initiative and has expressed fear that Italy will be ousted from its traditional role as the leader of European diplomacy in Libya. on 25 July, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain and Egypt announced new Libyan entities and individuals were added to their list of Qatar-funded ‘terrorists’.
Various sources report that Libyan general Ali Kanna visited Algerian foreign minister Abdelkader Messahel in Algiers last week. Mayor of Zintan and other western Libyan municipal leaders met with members of EU committee as part of their campaign to partner with local authorities to implement stabilization programmes. Italian MOI met with Zuwaran local officials in Tripoli to discuss possible Italian support and cooperation regarding the migration issue.
CNN has reported that according to US officials, there is a new diplomatic and military policy for Libya that could be finalized by the Trump administration in the next few weeks. Last week, the Dutch foreign minister Bert Koenders invited representatives of the HoR and the HCS to the Netherlands in an attempt to kick start discussions to amend the LPA.
The French Defence Minister called Libya a ‘failed state’ and warned that the jihadist threat remains. On 30 June, the UNSC extended measures banning illicit export of crude and refined petroleum, and urged member states to support Libya in defeating ISIS and Ansar al-Sharia.
On 25 June, Haftar received a UAE Armed Forces delegation led by Deputy Chief of Staff Major General al-Mazrouei just one month after Egyptian chief of staff visit. Two prominent Zawiyyan militia members detained by authorities in Saudi Arabia on return from pilgrimage.
On 16 June, the UN Secretary General nominated Lebanese professor and politician Ghassan Salame as UN Special Envoy for Libya, in replacement of outgoing envoy Martin Kobler. Russia invited Thinni to Moscow for talks this week.
The blockade against Qatar continues, with several Libyans blacklisted for ties to Qatar. The UN Expert Panel on Libya’s latest report highlights UAE support to the LNA and the role of foreign mercenaries, while the UNSC extended the arms embargo against Libya.
On 5 June, the HoR announced it was cutting (non-existent) diplomatic ties with Qatar, in line with Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Egypt, in light of its support for ‘terrorist’ groups. Foreign ministers from Algeria, Tunisia and Egypt met in Algiers on 5 June to discuss possible solutions to the Libyan political crisis.
Egypt conducted airstrikes on Derna and Jufra last week, in coordination with the LNA, supposedly in retaliation for an ISIS massacre of Christians in Egypt. The GNA criticized the strikes as a violation of sovereignty.
GNA prime minister Fayez al-Serraj met briefly with US President Donald in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia during the American Islamic States Summit. China, Russia, France, the UK and the USA condemn violence in Libya following the Brak attack. Kobler warns that summary executions are included under war crimes and may be prosecuted by the ICC.
The NOC is in dispute with German oil giant Wintershall over the terms of contract of its expired concession agreement
Foreign Ministers from UK, Italy and Norway visited Tripoli and Tobruk last week while there may be a second meeting between Serraj and Haftar this week, with the attendance of Swehli and Saleh. On 13 May, Swehli appointed a 13 member dialogue committee to discuss amendments to the LPA.
Photos confirm meeting between GNA PM Fayez al-Serraj and Khalifa Haftar in Abu Dhabi—the first face-to-face meeting in over a year. The outcome of the meeting remains unclear.
In a joint press conference with the Italian PM, Trump said he does not see a role for the US in Libya. Days later, Defence Secretary Mattis said that success in Libya would be difficult if the US focused exclusively on counterterrorism.
US Treasury Department’s Office of Public Affairs (OFAC) designated various Libya-based individuals as ‘ISIS financial facilitators,’ and implemented sanctions freezing all of their affiliated property while US persons are prohibited from business engagement with the individuals. The European Union says actors in southern Libya should solve the conflict through negotiation.
Khalifa Haftar met with Abu Dhabi Crown Prince in the UAE this week and the latter praised the LNA’s efforts to fight terrorism. Fayez al-Serraj met with the head of US AFRICOM and the US ambassador to Libya.
The EU has extended sanctions against Saleh, Ghwell and Abu Sahmain for another 6 months as the Arab League Summit reiterated its support for the GNA and the LPA. The French met with Haftar and Saleh in Benghazi last week, while Russia has derailed the appointment of a new UN Libya envoy.
UNSC P5 issued a joint statement calling on all Libyan parties to settle differences through political processes, however the UNSC has still not agreed on a replacement for Kobler as UN Libya envoy.
The LAS, the AU, the EU and the UN set up a Quartet to coordinate efforts in Libya and reaffirmed their support for the LPA.
Head of US AFRICOM warns that Russia is trying to influence outcome in Libya as Reuters reports that Russian Special Forces are stationed at an Egyptian airbase just across from the Libyan border
Egypt issued a statement calling for Libyan parties to continue with political negotiations, but did not mention the BDB advances against the LNA. The UN, UK, US and France have condemned the escalation of violence.
Last week, the HoR President Ageelah Saleh gave the HoR an ultimatum to appoint a new representative committee for the negotiations. However, a delegation has yet been appointed.
On 20 February, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt issued a ministerial declaration which stressed a ‘Libyan-Libyan’ political solution with regional and UN mediation within the framework of the LPA
Serraj is due to meet with Haftar in Cairo on 14 February, after a planned meeting on 13 February was postponed. Serraj is expected to present a new political roadmap for the Libyan crisis, with the blessing of Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt.
Last week, GNA PM Fayez al-Serraj signed an MoU with Italy agreeing to reduce the number of migrants leaving Libya in return for support for the Libyan coast guard and funding for detention centers in Libya. The EU approved the deal and will contribute its own funding to anti-smuggling support measures.
On 30 January, Turkey became the second country to reopen its embassy in Tripoli saying it would “support the territorial integrity and national unity of brotherly Libya”, while Egypt continues its diplomatic efforts to bring rival Libyan factions together in negotiations.
On 19 January, American B-2 stealth bombers destroyed two ISIS camps approximately 44 km south-west of Sirte, dropping more than 100 precision-guided bombs on the targets. On 21 January, a VBIED exploded near the Italian embassy in Tripoli.
On 11 January, Khalifa Haftar, the commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), was formally received aboard the Admiral Kuznetsov, Russia’s only aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean. On 14 January, Haftar summoned the senior LNA commanders from the east, west and south of Libya for a high-level meeting with HoR President.
On 9 January, the Italian Foreign Ministry announced it was sending its ambassador back to Libya. It is the first Western diplomatic mission to reopen in the country. The statement said the ambassador would present his credentials to the GNA on 10 January and would start work in Tripoli immediately.
Internationally, diplomacy efforts are gaining pace with Russia demanding a formal political role for Marshall Haftar, Algeria trying to broker dialogue between Haftar and the Islamists, and Egypt trying to pursue demands for amending the LPA and reforming the GNA.
Last week, US AFRICOM concluded Operation Odyssey Lightning in Sirte while support is being given to the Stabilisation Facility for Libya. On 23 December, an internal Libya flight was hijacked and flown to Malta, where the hijackers were apprehended.
Last week, the UN held a conference in Tunis to discuss how the international community can support the GNA’s fledgling presidential guard. A number of high-level diplomatic events in Egypt, Russia and Algeria also took place that may indicate a shift towards a more Haftar-inclusive approach to the Libyan peace process at an international level.
On 6 December, UN Envoy to Libya Martin Kobler told the UN Security Council (UNSC) that although the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) was ‘the only solution’ to the Libyan problem, its terms were ‘not set in stone’. This raises the possibility that the terms of the LPA may be renegotiated. Any reworking of the LPA […]
UN envoy to Libya continues his efforts to get the LPA accepted by the HoR before the 17 December deadline, however says that certain points such as controversial article 8, which would prevent Haftar from controlling the LNA, may be re-negotiated
The international community continues to show its support for the GNA as the ‘only’ solution to the Libyan political impasse while Haftar is strengthening his relationship with Russia and asking for arms to help the LNA defeat ISIS
Rome meeting on Libya’s economic situation ended in an agreement to make funds available for the PC, while UN envoy holds talks with anti-GNA HoR members in Egypt, hinting at rapprochement between UNSMIL and HoR.
A meeting held in Malta to discuss the political impasse in the LPA fizzled out without any significant results. The anti-GNA factions are waiting for the LPA to expire in December, hopeful that following Trump’s victory, a potential new international political order will favour their political ambitions.