International actors
Tracking developments of international actors in Libya’s security space including military activity, the presence of foreign operatives and diplomacy pertaining to Libya’s security.
UNSG spokesperson ‘deeply concerned’ over migrants’ expulsion from Tunisia
On 1 August, Farhan Haq, the deputy spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary-General, issued a statement expressing ‘deep concern over the expulsion of migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers from Tunisia to the borders with Libya and also Algeria’. Haq condemned...
Mangoush discusses Niger coup concerns with US State Department
On 29 July, Government of National Unity (GNU) Foreign Minister Najla al-Mangoush spoke by phone with Counsellor of the US State Department Derek Chollet about the situation in Niger. Both are deeply concerned that events there could destabilize the region. They said...
Niger coup raises concerns of further destabilisation in southern Libya
On 26 July, soldiers in Niger (which borders Libya to the south-west) announced a coup on national TV, saying they had dissolved the constitution, suspended all institutions, and closed the nation's borders. They also detained Niger President Mohamed Bazoum. The same...
Security Working Group meets in Benghazi
On 24 July, Bathily and the the Ambassadors of Italy, Egypt, France, Germany, Tunisia, Turkey, and the United Kingdom met with Haftar in Benghazi to discuss the preparations for the Security Working Group meeting which took place the following day. In his opening...
Amnesty International condemns activist kidnapping in Benghazi
On 18 July, Amnesty International highlighted that activist and professor of geography at the University of Benghazi Belkacem Eljard was kidnapped by armed men affiliated with the Internal Security Agency (ISA) from his home in Benghazi on 27 June. It called on the...
Paris hosts 5+5 JMC meeting to discuss establishment of joint military force in the South
On 17 - 18 July, France hosted in Paris a meeting of the 5+5 Joint Military Committee, in the presence of senior representatives of UNSMIL and several ambassadors to Libya. The main aim is to sign an agreement to form a joint military force to secure the southern...
US civil case filed against Haftar and Prigozhin for ‘war crimes’ against Libyans
On 17 July, the Libyan-American Alliance (LAA) announced that it had filed a lawsuit against Russia’s Wagner Group leader Yevgeny Prigozhin and Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar for their alleged involvement in war crimes committed against Libyan...
Greece calls for resumption of ‘Operation Sophia’ naval mission
On 16 July, newly appointed Greek Migration Minister Dimitris Kairidis called on the European Union (EU) to resume ‘Operation Sophia’, an EU-led naval mission that aimed to break up smuggling routes and halt migrants prior to their departure in the Mediterranean,...
UNSMIL, US condemn Boumtari’s detention and HSC members’ travel ban at Mitiga Airport
On 13 July, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said it was ‘deeply disturbed’ by the ‘continued abductions, arbitrary arrests, and disappearances of citizens and public figures by various security actors in Libya’, specifically citing the detention...