On 17 May, reports emerged that HoR member Ibrahim al-Dirsi had been abducted in Benghazi. Government of National Stability (GNS) Prime Minister Osama Hammad said he was following the developments with ‘great concern’, noting al-Dirsi’s car was found abanded in the Sidi Faraj area east of Benghazi after attending the Operation Dignity celebrations the day before. He has not been seen since. Meanwhile, other GNS officials denied that he had been killed, saying the Benghazi Security Directorate had received a report that a group had enetered his house and robbed him later on 16 May. The House of Representatives (HoR) also expressed concern about the disappearance and called on the GNS and security services to inteisfy their efforts and investigations.
On 18 May, UNSMIL expressed ‘deep concern’ about al-Dirsi’s abduction and called upon the competent authorities to locate and secure his prompt release, urging authorities to conduct a thorough investigation and to hold those accountable under the law. UNSMIL also stressed that it ‘condemns all forms of arbitrary detention throughout Libya’ as such acts ‘undermine the rule of law and create a climate of fear.’
On 20 May, Haftar met with the GNS Deputy MoI, the head of the Internal Security Agency (ISA) and the head of the Benghazi Security Directorate and called on them to intensify efforts to investigate the incident, identify the culprits and ensure the safety of the HoR member.