On 18 August, the Attorney General's office announced that the Misrata Criminal Court has convicted five ISIS members for carrying out armed attacks...
Misrata court convicts five ISIS members, including four sentenced to death
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ISIS
Our archive of political and security incidents relating to Islamic State activity in Libya
AG announces arrest of IS member behind 2018 Tripoli attack
On 26 February, the Office of the Attorney General announced it had arrested the Islamic State (IS) member who planned and logistically supported...
UN report confirms IS presence in southern Libya
On 15 February, Vladimir Voronkov, Under-Secretary-General at the UN Office of CounterTerrorism, alongside other senior counter-terrorism experts,...
Islamic State Libya emir and other IS members arrested by Rada in Tripoli
On 3 January, the Internal Security Agency (ISA) arrested a suspected IS (Islamic State) member from Syria in the west of Tripoli in al-Seyaheyya....
Tripoli court sentences ISIS member to life in prison
On 20 December, the office of the Attorney General said that the Tripoli Criminal Court has sentenced an ISIS member to life in prison. Charges...
ISIS mastermind of 2018 Tripoli attacks arrested in Tajoura
On 24 August, Government of National Unity (GNU) Prime Minister Abdul Hameed Dabaiba announced that a security operation carried out by the Special...
Misrata Appeals court sentences ISIS members to death and imprisonment
On 29 May, the Misrata Appeals Court sentenced 35 ISIS members to death, most of whom are Libyan citizens. Others received sentences ranging from...
Libya hands over ISIS women and children to Tunisia
On 5 May, the Libyan authorities handed four wives and five children of ISIS fighters to Tunisia through the Ras Ajdair border crossing, according...
ISIS members sentenced in France
On March 10, a French couple who joined ISIS in Liyba were sentenced to prison by an Assize Court in Paris. According to reports, the couple joined...
Trial of suspected ISIS members in Misrata adjourned
On 26 February the trial of 56 individuals suspected of being ISIS members was adjourned in Misrata to give the defence team a chance to prepare...
ISIS reportedly releases information about attacks in 2022
On 8 January, it was reported that ISIS had published information about the results of its global operations in 2022 through one of its media...
Mass grave with 18 bodies found in Sirte
On 1 January, Libya’s Missing Persons Authority reported that 18 bodies were found buried in a mass grave in the Sabaa area of Sirte, a former...
33 former IS members found guilty of crimes in Sabratha, 17 sentenced to death
On 19 December, the Attorney General issued a statement declaring the end of the Tripoli Criminal Court’s trial of 33 individuals accused of being...
Trial of suspected ISIS members in Misrata continues
On 27 November, the trial of suspected ISIS members accused of involvement in ISIS’ occupation of Sirte in 2016 resumed in Misrata. The court...
LNA kills 7 ISIS operatives in security operation near Qatrun
On 16 November, Libyan National Army (LNA) Spokesman, Ahmed al-Mismari, announced that the LNA’s Southwestern Security Operations Room had conducted...
CTF mobilises in Tripoli in response to ISIS threat
On 29 October, the Misrata-based Counter Terrorism Force (CTF) reportedly mobilised towards Ain Zara, Tripoli. The mobilisation was reportedly...
TBZ kills ISIS leaders in Qatrun
On 7 September, the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) Tariq Bin Ziyad (TBZ) 5th Company of Southern Operations announced that it had killed Mehdi Dungu,...
Trial of suspected ISIS members begins in Misrata
On 8 August, the trial of 56 individuals suspected of being ISIS members began in Misrata. The accused were arrested at the end of 2016 after Sirte...
ISIS suspect arrested in Gharyian
On 28 July, the Hashem Brigade reportedly arrested an individual suspected of being a member of ISIS in Gharyian. According to reports, the...
ISIS leader captured in Bani Walid
On 18 June, sources from the 444 Brigade announced that the Brigade had arrested a prominent leader of ISIS in Libya, Mustafa bin Dallah, in Bani...
ISWAP calls for loyalists to migrate to Africa
Last week, Islamic State's West Africa Province (ISWAP) – based in Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Niger – released a propaganda video that called for...
LNA conducts raid on ISIS hideout near Ghani oilfield
On 11 June, the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) 128 Enhanced Brigade announced that it conducted a raid against an ISIS hideout, south of the Ghani...
LNA repels two suspected ISIS attacks in southern Libya
On 7 June, the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) 634 Infantry Brigade issued a statement reporting that it had repelled two armed attacks from suspected...
LNA arrests ISIS affiliates in Qatrun
On 29 May, the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) Southern Operations Room announced that it had launched a military campaign, ‘Operation One Day’,...
Security forces comb Mizdah, Bani Walid, and Nasmah following reports of ISIS activity
This week security forces, including the Tripoli-based 444 Brigade and the Counter Terrorism Force (CTF), launched patrols in Mizdah, Bani Walid,...
SSA conduct patrols in Mizdah following reports of ISIS actvity
On 10 May, the Support and Stability Apparatus (SSA) announced that having received reports of cars bearing ISIS flags and of ISIS affiliates...
Unconfirmed reports of ISIS activity in Tripolitania
On 9 May, unconfirmed reports surfaced of ISIS activity in Mizdah (180 km south of Tripoli) and potentially in Bani Walid and Ghariyan. According to...
ISIS release images of recruits in southern Libya
On approximately 25 April, ISIS Wilayat Libya published a photo diary for the month of Ramadan. The tightly cropped photos show no more than six...
LNA clashes with suspected ISIS elements in security operation, south of Sebha
On 25 April, the Libyan National Army (LNA) Military Information Division announced that it had conducted a security operation against ISIS elements...
ISIS SVBIED attack at LNA checkpoint at Umm al-Aranib
On 19 April, ISIS conducted a suicide vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED) attack at a Libyan National Army (LNA) Tariq Bin Ziyad...
Airstrikes against ISIS in southern Libya
On 4 April, airstrikes reportedly targeted suspected ISIS members in Wadi Tilamsin in southern Libya, near the Algerian border. This followed an...
ISIS Wilayat Libya issues pledge of allegiance to new Caliph
This week, ISIS Wilayat Libya issued a second video showing fighters pledging allegiance to the new global caliph, Abu Hasan al-Hashemi al-Quarashi....
ISIS in Libya release photo set of pledge to new ISIS leader
On 13 March, ISIS in Libya released a photo set through its Amaq Media Agency showing several of its members offering a pledge of allegiance to the...
LNA launch anti-ISIS operation in Libya’s South
On 7 March, the LNA’s Southern Operations Room launched an operation to pursue suspected ISIS operatives near the Chad and Niger borders, south of...
ISIS members arrested in Awbari
On 21 February, a number of ISIS operatives were reportedly arrested by the LNA’s 106th Battalion during a security operation in Awbari. The group...
Four ISIS operatives reveal their involvement in terrorist operations
On 19 February, the Misratan Joint Counter-Terrorism Operations Force published information obtained from the arrest and interrogation of four ISIS...
Three arrested in Spain for financing terrorism in Libya
On 5 February, Spanish media reported that three people had been arrested in Spain by Spanish authorities working in conjunction with Europol for...
Tunisian ISIS leader arrested
On 3 February, local media reported that security forces had arrested a Tunisian ISIS leader, Bilal bin Abdul Wahab bin Trad, as part of a security...
Clashes between the LNA and ISIS in South
On 28 January, the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) Spokesperson Ahmed al-Mismari announced in a press conference that 24 ISIS operatives were killed...
ISIS attack in southern Libya
On 24 January, the LNA’s Umm al-Aranib Martyrs Brigade was reportedly ambushed by an ISIS-affiliated armed group between Qatrun and Majdoul on...
ISIS attack on LNA camp in Umm al-Aranib
On 18 January, ISIS claimed responsibility for an IED attack on an LNA camp in Umm al-Aranib, south of Sebha, which killed one person and injured...
ISIS members escape from Qirnada prison
On 17 January, during a riot in Qirnada prison in eastern Libya, five ISIS operatives reportedly escaped from detention.The escapees were...
ISIS operatives arrive in Nigeria from Libya
On 7 November, Eons intelligence reported that over 200 ISIS operatives, led by their new leader, Sani Shuwaram, arrived Sabon Tumbu, Nigeria, from...
Suspected ISIS members arrested in Msallata
On 23 October, the Counter Terrorism Force (CTF) announced the arrest of members of Islamic State in Libya (ISIS) in Msallata, north-western Libya....
ISIS release photos of ‘graduated’ recruits
On 18 October, Islamic State in Libya (ISIS) released a series of photos showing a total of seven ISIS members training with firearms and captioned...
ISIS member involved in the Corinthia hotel attack captured
On 14 October, the Government of National Unity’s (GNU) Internal Security Agency announced that it had captured Omar Bashir Omar Izadeen, an ISIS...
Arrested Egyptian in Bani Walid accused of links to ISIS
On 14 October, the Bani Walid Criminal Security Department (CID) arrested an Egyptian national with links to ISIS and the group's activities in...
Reports of ISIS-claimed attack on LNA checkpoint south of Sebha
On 27 September, ISIS reportedly claimed to have perpetrated an assault on a Libyan National Army (LNA) checkpoint south of Sebha. According to...
Misratan Joint Operations Force arrests senior ISIS operative
On 7 September, the Misratan Joint Operations Force announced it had arrested a senior ISIS operative, Embark al-Khazm, in Bani Walid. The Joint...
LNA conducts security operation against ISIS in Murzuq
On 6 September, the Libyan National Army’s 106th Brigade (Storm Brigade) arretsed a number of suspected ISIS operatives during a security operation...
Familes of ISIS nationals repatriated to Nigeria
On 31 August, reports surfaced that 22 relatives of deceased ISIS suspects (killed in Libya) had been repatriated to Nigeria.
Suspected ISIS attack on LNA forces in Zillah
On 22 August, the Libyan National Army (LNA) aligned 128 Brigade was attacked by a suicide bomber identified as a Sudanese national at the Zillah...
UN Office of Counter-Terrorism: ISIS situation in the Sahel ‘could be aggravated by Libya’
On 19 August, Vladimir Voronkov, the Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, issued a report on the threat posed...
ISIS members to be deported from Libya to their country of origin
On 11 August, the Government of National Unity’s Minister of Justice announced that 100 suspected ISIS operatives from Africa and the Middle East...
LNA arrests suspected Sudanese ISIS member
On 11 August, the Spokesperson for the Libyan National Army (LNA) Ahmed al-Mismari announced that the LNA had arrested a suspected ISIS operative of...
LNA airstrikes carried out near Harouj after recent ISIS attacks in the area
On 2 August, the Libyan National Army is reported to have undertaken airstrikes within the area of the Harouj Mountains following ISIS actvity in...
Russia claims ISIS members in Libya being transferred to Afghanistan
During the last week, Russian Defense Minister, Sergey Shoygu, claimed that ISIS members in Libya and Syria were now making their way to Afghanistan...
LNA reportedly planning security operation against ISIS in the South
On 25 July, reports surfaced claiming that the Libyan National Army (LNA) had sent military reinforcements to carry out large-scale operations...
ISIS release ‘Diaries of Caliphate Soldiers in Libya’
This week, the Islamic State in Libya (ISIS) released additional photos following its earlier publication on 10 June of a photo set entitled...
Public Prosecutor sends cases of 54 suspected ISIS members to court
On 19 July, the Libyan Attorney General’s office filed criminal lawsuits against 54 suspected ISIS members who were arrested during security...
Libyan weapons allegedly used by ISIS terrorists in Nigeria
On 13 July, the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) published ‘Islamic State fortifies its position in the Lake Chad Basin’, detailing how ‘Boko...
ISIS claim responsibility for another attack in south
On 14 June, ISIS claimed responsibility for an ambush and improvised explosive devise (IED) attack that killed the commander of an Libyan National...
ISIS VBIED suicide attack targets and kills Security Head in Sebha
On 6 June, ISIS claimed a suicide vehicle borne improvised explosive device (SVBIED) attack targeting a Libyan National Army (LNA) checkpoint at...
ISIS families sent back to Tunisia
On 18 March, the Tripoli Attorney-General’s Office stated that ten women and 14 children detained during the recapture of Sirte from ISIS have been...
03 – 10 March: Arrest of six alleged ISIS members across western Libya
On 4 March, six ISIS members in Zliten, Qarbouli, Tripoli and Zawiya were reportedly arrested.
18 February – 3 March: ISIS operatives arrested in Derna
On 28 February, reports emerged on social media that three ISIS operatives were arrested in Derna.
16 – 23 February: alleged ISIS threat on HoR gathering in Sabratha
On 14 February, a state of alert was issued following reports that ISIS was planning a Vehicle Borne IED (VBIED) attack in Sabratha.
10 – 17 February: No relevant developments
No relevant developments.
03–10 February: No relevant developments
No relevant developments.
27 January- 02 February: ISIS kidnapping reported near Ghudduwah
On 25 January, two brothers were reportedly kidnapped near Ghuddwah in southern Sebha by suspected ISIS militants.
20-26 January: No relevant developments
No relevant developments
12-19 January: No relevant developments
No relevant developments.
6-13 January: Spanish police arrest two suspected ISIS members of Libyan citizenship
On 8 January, Spanish police officers in Barcelona arrested three suspected ISIS members, two of which held Libyan citizenship.
30 December- 5 January: No relevant developments
No relevant developments.
23-29 December: No relevant developments
No relevant developments.
16-22 December: No relevant developments
No relevant developments.
9-15 December: No relevant developments
No relevant developments.
1-8 December: No relevant developments.
No relevant developments.
25 November – 1 December: No relevant developments.
No relevant developments.
18 – 24 November: No relevant developments.
No relevant developments.
11 – 17 November: No relevant developments.
No relevant developments.
4 – 10 November: No relevant developments.
No relevant developments.
28 October – 3 November: No relevant developments.
No relevant developments.
21 – 27 October: No relevant developments.
No relevant developments.
14 –20 October: ISIS suspects arrested in Khoms and Tripoli
On 18 October, the GNA Counter-Terrorism Force Commander, al-Zein, announced that four people had been arrested for connections to a terrorism group. On 14 October, it was reported that an ISIS leader being held in Qarnadah prison had died.
7 –13 October: No relevant developments.
No relevant developments.
30 September – 6 October: GNA capture five alleged ISIS members
On 30 September, the GNA MoD’s Joint Force captured 5 alleged ISIS members near the Tunisian border. On 1 October, the LNA spokesperson, Mismari, released additional details on the identities of the ISIS leaders killed in Sebha in mid-September.
23 – 29 September: Alleged assassination attempt by ISIS
On 24 September Saleh, commander of the Khalid Bin Walid Brigade, survived an assassination attempt in the Nassriya district of Sebha. On 23 September, LNA-Spokesperson, Mismari, declared that the leader of ISIS in North Africa, Abu Abdullah al-Iraqi, was killed in the LNA raid in Sebha one-week prior.
16 – 22 September: LNA arrests ISIS member in Ghadduwah
On 21 September, the LNA claimed that it had arrested an ISIS member in the town of Ghadduwah. On 15 September, the LNA conducted a raid against an ISIS cell in Sebha. According to a press briefing by LNA spokesperson Ahmed Mismari, the raid resulted in clashes that lasted approximately 7 hours and in which 9 ISIS members were killed.
9 – 15 September: LNA undertakes raid on ISIS in Sebha
On 14-15 September, the LNA undertook an overnight raid on an alleged ISIS cell in the Abd al-Kafi neighbourhood of Sebha in southern Libya.
2 September – 8 September: No relevant developments.
No relevant developments.
26 August – 1 September: No relevant developments.
No relevant developments.
19 – 25 August: UNSG assesses ISIL still a threat in Libya
On 20 August, a British court sentenced 22-year old Hashem Abedi, the brother of Manchester Area bomber Salman Abedi, to jail for at least 55 years for the murder of 22 people. On 25 August, Assistant Secretary General Coninsx briefed the UNSC on the UNSG’s 11th ISIL report.
12 – 18 August: LNA claims ISIS killings and captures in Southern Libya
On 16 August, the LNA claimed to have killed three ISIS-Libya fighters in Ghadduwa. On 12 August, a military operation in the Murzuq region led to the arrest of ‘suspected’ ISIS Libya affiliates.
5 – 11 August: No relevant developments.
No relevant developments.
29 July – 4 August: No relevant developments.
No relevant developments.
22 – 28 July: No relevant developments.
No relevant developments.
15 – 21 July: US Defence Department publishes report on Syrian fighters in Libya
On 16 July, a report published by the US Defence Department inspector general asserted that the Syrian fighters in Libya were ‘very likely’ motivated by money.
8-14 July: Bashaagha announces arrest of suspected ISIS member
On 9 July, the GNA Minister of Interior, Fathi Bashaagha, announced that a suspected ISIS member had been arrested in Zawiyya days prior, while additional ISIS fighters had been captured in Abu Grein the week before.
1 July – 7 July: Two captures of alleged ISIS members
On 5 July, Misrata’s JSOR captured alleged ISIS fighter, Omar Dabbous. On 6 July, the GNA’s Ministry of Interior announced that the Criminal Investigation Department of the Zawiyya Security Directorate had captured an ISIS cell in Zawiyya.