Libyan actors
Tracking developments of Libyan Actors in Libya’s security space including armed group activity, state security operations and political activities pertaining to Libya’s security.
Biden extends Libya ‘national emergency’ for another year
On 21 February, the US President Joe Biden extended the ‘national emergency’ declared in Libya for another year from 25 February 2024. The national emergency was first declared on 25 February 2011 and expanded on 19 April 2016. The White House notice said that ‘The...
MoI Trabelsi announces withdrawal of all militias from Tripoli
On 21 February, the Government of National Unity (GNU) Minister of Interior (MoI) Emad Trabelsi declared that all militias (‘security and military services’) would ‘evacuate’ Tripoli before the end of Ramadan and hand over all their tasks to the Tripoli Security...
Abu Salim killings perpetrators identified, says Attorney General
On 21 February, Minister of Interior Emad Trabelsi emphasized that all those responsible for last week's Abu Salim massacre (where at least ten men were murdered in a house in Abu Salim on 17 February) will be held accountable without exception, stressing that one is...
PFG reopen oil facilities after GNU meets demands
Late on 20 February, members of the Petroleum Facilities guard (PFG) published a video statement read outside the Mellitah Oil and Gas Complex in western Libya calling for their demands around salaries and benefits to be met and warning they would shut down Mellitah...
Italian court rules that sending migrants back to Libya is unlawful
On 18 February, the ruling (made on 1 February) of Italy’s top appeals court, the Court of Cassation, that sending migrants rescued at sea back to Libya is unlawful was made public by the Italian media. The court upheld the conviction of the captain of an Italian...
Italy investigates Libyan human smugglers
On 18 February, the Italian newspaper Avvenire reported that there is an investigation underway in Italy against two key Libyan human smugglers – Abdurrahman al-Milad (aka al-Bija) and his cousin Osama al-Khuni. The investigation has been carried out by the Agrigento...
At least ten men murdered in Abu Salim
Shortly after midnight on 18 February, the bodies of at least ten murdered members of Abdul Ghani al-Kikli’s (aka Ghinaywa) Stability Support Agency (SSA) were found in a house in Abu Salim in southern Tripoli. Several of the men belonged to the al-Mashashiya tribe....
Zintani calls for Dabaiba’s overthrow and pipeline blockade
On 16 February, the Zintan Revolutionaries demanded the overthrow of Prime Minister Abdul Hameed Dabaiba. They declared that they no longer recognized his government, saying it represents the rule of the Dabaiba clan. They called on all revolutionaries in the country...
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, informed the UN Security Council about the ‘Eighteenth report of the Secretary-General on the threat posed by ISIL...