by Jason | Jun 6, 2016 | Other Jihadi Actors
On 1 June, a group composed of hardline Islamist revolutionaries from Benghazi and Ajdabiya issued a televised statement, aired by former Libya Dawn mouthpiece Al-Nabaa, declaring the establishment of the “Benghazi Defense Brigades” (BDB). The BDB claimed...
by Jason | Jun 6, 2016 | International actors
The European Union (EU) is pushing for increased authority to enforce the existing embargo on arms shipments Libya. Speaking to the UN Security Council on 6 June, EU Foreign Minister Federica Mogherini urged members to authorize EU naval operations in the...
by Jason | May 30, 2016 | ISIS
ISIS control of Libya’s coastline has been reduced to approximately 200 km east and west of Sirte. Significant gains made by the Government of National Accord’s (GNA) forces converging on Sirte from the west and southwest have thrown the ISIS rank and file into...
by Jason | May 30, 2016 | International actors
International support has also been key to this week’s explosion of momentum on the western front against ISIS. The spokesperson of the Government of National Accord’s (GNA) Sirte Operations Room said they have started to receive financial and logistical support from...
by Jason | May 30, 2016 | Other Jihadi Actors
As in recent weeks, Benghazi remains largely under Libyan National Army (LNA) control but fighting continues to take place in the city between LNA units and pockets of ISIS militants, Ansar Al Sharia fighters and the Benghazi Revolutionary Shura Council (BRSC) in the...
by Jason | May 30, 2016 | Libyan actors
The Government of National Accord’s (GNA) Bunyan Marsus operations room, led by Misratan Colonel Bashir Al Gadi, made significant gains against ISIS this week, advancing to within 30 kilometres of Sirte. So far the operation has cost 72 lives — mostly Misratan...
by Jason | May 23, 2016 | ISIS
The war between Misrata and ISIS is heating up. Simultaneously, Haftar has not engaged ISIS in any meaningful way this week. Although most of the talk of offensives against Sirte is comprised of hot air, real engagements have started to kick off on the Misratan side...
by Jason | May 23, 2016 | Other Jihadi Actors
Tripoli, and the western region as a whole, is witnessing a marked increase in kidnappings and murders of civilians and officials alike. A high profile member of a reconciliation group was found murdered outside of his home on 19 May, while the head of the Libyan...
by Jason | May 23, 2016 | International actors
Last week, US Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joseph Dunford said that the Government of National Accord (GNA) is in a “period of intense dialogue” that could soon lead to an agreement in which US military advisers will be deployed to Libya, in addition to...
by Jason | May 23, 2016 | Libyan actors
Three interlinked conflict dynamics are discernible from last week’s developments on the ground: 1) increased lawlessness and militia rivalry in Tripoli and the western region; 2) increasing momentum of the Government of National Accord’s (GNA) Misratan-led assault on...
