NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES
- The Tourist District, located west of Libya’s capital, Tripoli, experienced renewed security tensions on Thursday. Sporadic gunfire was reported, marking another wave of unrest just two days after clashes erupted in the area. According to sources speaking to Fawasel Media, military vehicles were seen stationed near the Gharan Bridge, in the vicinity of the Tourist District. This escalation follows a directive issued on Wednesday by Libya’s Attorney General, Al-Siddiq Al-Sour, ordering the evacuation of the Al-Maghrib Al-Arabi village—known locally as “Al-Riqata”—in Tripoli. The directive called for the removal of all individuals and assets not affiliated with the Development for Tourism and Real Estate Investments Company. Authorities were tasked with securing the area and returning it to its rightful owner.
- Greece has reported the rescue of over 170 migrants over the past three days, with many believed to have departed from Libya. The rescued migrants were found aboard unsafe and overcrowded boats in the Mediterranean, highlighting Libya’s growing role as a key departure point for migrants attempting to reach Europe. In one rescue, a Philippine-flagged tanker saved 29 migrants 120 kilometers south of Crete. Another 45 migrants were rescued by a cargo ship near Gavdos Island. Separately, Greek authorities intercepted a speedboat carrying migrants near Tilos Island. After a brief chase, the boat ran aground, and a 37-year-old Moldovan man, suspected of being the smuggler, was arrested. In total, 31 migrants, including seven children and four women, were located nearby.
- Malta’s Court of Criminal Appeal has ruled to proceed with the trial of the El Hiblu 3, rejecting the defence’s jurisdiction plea. The case centres on three young men—aged 15, 16, and 19 at the time—accused of “acts of terrorism” after they acted as mediators on board the cargo ship El Hiblu in 2019. The teenagers, from Ivory Coast and Guinea, had fled Libya with 108 others in an overcrowded rubber boat. When their vessel began to deflate, they were rescued by the El Hiblu. However, the ship’s captain attempted to return them to Libya, violating international law that obliges rescued individuals to be taken to safety.
- The Ministry of Interior under Libya’s Government of National Unity announced on Sunday the voluntary repatriation of an unspecified number of irregular migrants to Egypt via the Musaid land border. In a brief statement, the ministry highlighted that the move aligns with regional cooperation efforts to ensure the safe and legal return of migrants. No further details were provided about the operation. Earlier this month, on January 3, Libya’s Anti-Illegal Immigration Authority reported the repatriation of 56 irregular Egyptian migrants through the same border crossing.
- Italian authorities have detained Osama Najim, the Director of the Tripoli Central Rehabilitation and Correctional Institution, during his visit to Italy. Details surrounding his arrest remain unclear. The Main Communications Chamber of the Libyan Judicial Police and the Ain Zara Main Correctional Institution have condemned what they described as Najim’s “arbitrary detention” in Italy. In separate statements on their Facebook on Sunday, the two entities criticised the arrest, calling it an “outrageous incident.” They urged Libyan authorities to take responsibility and address the situation.
NATIONAL POLITICS AND SOCIAL ISSUES
- The Libyan Army has been ranked 76th globally, 11th in the Arab world, and 9th in Africa, according to the 2025 Global Firepower Index, which assesses the military strength of 145 countries worldwide. The ranking reflects Libya’s position as a mid-tier military power, shaped by years of political instability, internal divisions, and ongoing efforts to rebuild its defense capabilities. Regionally, Egypt leads the Arab world with the strongest military, ranking 19th globally, followed by Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Iraq, and the United Arab Emirates. Globally, the United States continues to dominate as the world’s strongest military, followed by Russia, China, India, and South Korea, which holds fifth place.
- The Speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives, Ageela Saleh, met with Stephanie Khoury, Deputy Special Representative of the UN Secretary-General and Acting Head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), to discuss the urgent need for unifying Libya’s executive authority and forming a single government. The meeting also emphasized preparations for holding presidential and parliamentary elections. Saleh reaffirmed the House of Representatives’ commitment to the Libyan Political Agreement, the outcomes of the 6+6 Joint Committee, and all initiatives aimed at ending political division. He stressed the importance of continued cooperation with UNSMIL and the international community to restore stability and achieve national unity.
- Cheryl Urban, Canada’s Assistant Deputy Minister for Africa, hailed Libya’s ongoing municipal elections as a pivotal step in promoting democratic engagement at the local level. During a meeting with Emad Al-Sayah, Chair of Libya’s High National Elections Commission (HNEC), Urban discussed recent developments in Libya’s electoral process, focusing on municipal elections and their challenges. Isabelle Savard, Canada’s Ambassador to Libya, echoed this sentiment, reaffirming her country’s commitment to supporting Libya’s electoral journey. She underscored Canada’s ongoing dedication to providing technical and logistical aid to ensure the success of the elections, which aim to strengthen Libya’s stability and democratic institutions.
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- Belqasem Khalifa Haftar, Director-General of the Libya Development and Reconstruction Fund, hosted a high-level delegation from South Korea. The delegation was led by His Excellency Jang Jae-hak, South Korea’s Ambassador to Libya, alongside Consul General Shin Woosik, and a diplomatic team accompanying them. Senior representatives from Daewoo Engineering and Construction, including Senior Vice President Hyang Sik Cho, General Commissioner Il Hee Jang, and Senior Vice President for Engineering and Construction, Young Min Ryu, attended the meeting. The discussions revolved around key points aimed at fostering mutual collaboration, focusing on activating joint cooperation proposals and strengthening ties between the two nations. Priority areas included sustainable development and reconstruction projects aligned with Libya’s strategic plans.
- The European Union (EU) Ambassador to Libya, Nicolas Orlando, announced the launch of consultations with Libya’s Government of National Unity to define the framework for EU cooperation with Libya for the 2025-2027 period. This announcement followed a highly productive meeting between Ambassador Orlando and Libyan officials, including the Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Adel Jumaa, and the Minister of Local Governance, Badr Al-Din Al-Toumi. According to a post by the EU Ambassador on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), discussions centered on key areas such as governance and decentralization, economic diversification, digitization, and preparations for energy and climate challenges.
