NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES
- Eyewitnesses have reported significant military mobilization and deployments in several neighborhoods of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, though the exact reasons remain unclear at this time. According to witness accounts, a number of armed vehicles and armored personnel carriers have been positioned along Zawiya Street in the heart of the city. Additionally, an armed convoy and armored vehicles belonging to the Judicial Police Force were seen entering the rear entrance of the University of Tripoli campus.
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Italy has received 157,551 irregular migrants through several migration routes crossing the Mediterranean during the past year, including 51,986 migrants coming from Libya, according to an Italian security report. The number of migrants to Italy increased by about 50% compared to 2022, and the maximum peak in the number of arrivals in 2023 was recorded in August with the arrival of 25,673 immigrants, according to the report published by the AKI Agency.
- LThe United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has issued a stern condemnation of the recent armed clashes witnessed in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, urgently calling on all parties involved to exercise restraint and avoid any actions that could lead to further escalation of the volatile situation. The clashes are reported to have occurred between armed groups affiliated with the Stability Support Apparatus and the Judicial Police, causing panic among the local population and prompting families to flee public areas.
- Intermittent clashes that erupted earlier between armed groups affiliated with the Stability Support Apparatus and the Judicial Police in the Libyan capital have subsided, according to local sources. The sources report that the release of detained individuals by both parties involved in the fighting has led to a ceasefire and the restoration of calm in the affected neighborhoods of Tripoli. Additionally, the Tripoli Security Directorate has deployed its forces at the main road intersections across the city.
- International Organization for Migration (IOM) said on Monday, April 08, that 567 migrants were intercepted and returned to Libya from 31 March to 6 April. So far in 2024, 4358 migrants have been intercepted and returned to Libya, according to IOM.
NATIONAL POLITICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES
- The British Foreign Office has issued an urgent travel warning about no fewer than 18 countries, including Libya. In the new alert the government is telling anyone going to countries around the southern Mediterranean and the Middle East that the risk of a terrorist attack is heightened given the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
- In a significant legal ruling, a court in the state of Virginia has dismissed a case filed by leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood group against Libyan military commander Marshal Khalifa Haftar, citing a lack of jurisdiction. The Virginia court has effectively closed the lawsuit permanently, dealing a blow to the efforts of the Islamist group’s representatives to pursue legal action against Haftar in the United States.
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According to sources within Libya’s State Council, there are discussions about a potential meeting between the heads of the country’s three key political bodies – the House of Representatives, the High Council of State, and the Presidency Council – scheduled to take place after Eid al-Fitr holiday. The sources indicated that the proposed meeting would be held under the supervision of the Arab League, with the aim of continuing consultations on the formation of a unified government for Libya.
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According to a report from the Africa Intelligence website, elements from the American military contractor Amentum have arrived in Libya under an agreement with outgoing Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibeh to provide training to several armed groups in the capital city of Tripoli. The report states that Amentum personnel will be training members of three specific armed brigades – the 444th Brigade led by Mahmoud Hamza, the 111th Brigade led by Zubi, and the 166th Brigade led by Al-Hisan.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
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Prime Minister Osama Hammad conducted an inspection visit to the Ouagadougou Halls complex on Saturday, April 13. The Prime Minister was accompanied by a high-level delegation, including the Director General of the Development and Reconstruction Fund, Eng. Balqasim Haftar, the Executive Director of the National Development Agency-Sirte, Dr. Mahmud Elfurjani, the Chairman of the Reconstruction and Stabilization Committee, Hatem Al-Aribi, the Commander of the Sirte Operations Room, General Ahmed Salem, and the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Local Government, Abu Bakr Al-Zawi.
- UN envoy to Libya Abdoulaye Bathily said he met with French Ambassador Mustafa Mihraj to discuss the latest political and security developments in Libya and the prospects for reviving the stalled political process. They also touched on the situation in neighbouring countries and the possible impact on Libya, according to Bathily. UN envoy emphasized the importance for major Libyan stakeholders to build upon existing agreements to avoid further delays in achieving a political settlement.
