On 23 October, the Counter Terrorism Force (CTF) announced the arrest of members of Islamic State in Libya (ISIS) in Msallata, north-western Libya. Among the arrested were two prominent ISIS members, including Abi al-Libi, known to have previously fought in Syria. The commander of the CTF, Major General Muhammad al-Zein, declared that the Force ‘will strike with an iron fist all the dens of terrorist and extremist groups, wherever they are inside the homeland’. The security operation was reportedly conducted in coordination with the Office of the Attorney General. On 26 October, residents from Msallata protested against the arrest of two of the city’s residents, denying that the accused were affiliated with ISIS. They insisted that the two men had participated in the military campaign to liberate the central town of Sirte from ISIS and accused the CTF of causing panic and fear by arresting the men while they were working at a coronavirus isolation centre.