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.
GNU ramps up security engagement with international partners with focus on southern borders
On 5 April, the Acting Chief of Staff of the Libyan Army Lieutenant General Salahadeen al-Namroush, held talks in Tripoli with Sudan’s Military Intelligence Director, Lieutenant General Mohamed Sabir, on strengthening bilateral military and security ties. The meeting...
AFRICOM’s Operation Flintlock preparations underway
On 2 April, the Govenrment of National Unity (GNU) announced that AFRICOM’s Operation Flintlock, which is being hosted in Sirte for the first time, will begin in mid-April with the participation of African and European countries alongside international partners. The...
RFI claims 200 Ukrainians stationed in Libya attacked Arctic Metagaz tanker
On 2 April, Radio France International (RFI) revealed an “exclusive RFI investigation into a shadow war taking place on the African continent between Kyiv and Moscow, in Libya”. According to the widely quoted report, RFI has learned that Ukraine was responsible for...
Satellite images show at least three drones at al-Khadim airbase
On 2 April, Reuters reported that analysis indicates that the Libyan National Army (LNA) obtained a mix of Chinese and Turkish combat drones, despite the ongoing UN arms embargo. Satellite imagery reviewed by Reuters revealed that at least three drones were present at...
Migrants die at sea trying to reach Europe from Libya
On 1 April, the Italian coast guard said it found 19 bodies and rescued 58 people after intercepting a dinghy filled with migrants that was in distress about 80 nautical miles from the southern Italian island of Lampedusa. A coastguard spokesperson said the migrants...
Libyan authorities report damaged Russian LNG tanker Arctic Metagaz is out of control
On 31 March, the convoy of the extensively damaged Russian LNG tanker Arctic Metagaz towed by Libyan tugs reached an area near the edge of Malta’s search and rescue (SAR) zone. The General Directorate of Coastal Security reported that the vessel was roughly 62...
Greek FM dicusses maritime & migration issues with Haftar in Benghazi
On 28 March, Greek Minister of Foreign Affairs Georgios Gerapetritis visited Benghazi. He was received by Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander Khalifa Haftar who welcomed the Greek delegation. He emphasized the deep historical and economic ties between the two...
22 migrants die at sea en route to Greece
On 28 March, survivors from a boat which had been at sea for six days without food or water after leaving Tubruq on 21 March said that 22 people had died at sea. 26 people survived and were rescued by a European border agency vessel near the island of Crete. Greek...
Drifting Russian tanker initially towed towards Misrata with Egyptian expert support
On 24 March, Libyan officials said that they had brought the Russian LNG carrier Arctic Metagaz under control while it was drifting inside of Libya’s territorial waters near Zuwara towards Libya’s western coast. The tanker was tilting on one side, with its hull...