Oct. 25, Al-Far’s militias, Al-Kikli’s Stabilization Support Agency clash in Al-Zawiya.
Oct. 25, former Libya Oil Minister Bin Shatwan says will run for president.
Oct. 27, armed group storms Sports Ministry HQ in Tripoli, assaults employees, damages property.
Oct. 29, JMC members head to Cairo to discuss foreign militants’ withdrawal timetable with neighbouring countries’ delegates.
TRIPOLI
- The Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) condemned the “unlawful” arrest of one of its Board of Director’s, Abulgasem Shengheer, who was stopped at Maitiga Airport in Tripoli while returning from abroad with his family. “Shengheer was arrested in an arbitrary and inappropriate manner that does not rise to the level of responsibility in dealing with a public and national figure,” the NOC said in a statement Oct. 30;
- Oct. 27, the Libyan Minister of Sports, Abdel-Shafi Al-Juweifi announced that an armed group stormed the ministry’s headquarters in Tripoli, and assaulted several employees. “An Armed Group stormed the headquarters of the Ministry of Sports in Tripoli during daylight, intimidated the workers, and tampered with the offices and equipment of the ministry,” the minister said.
MISRATA
- The customs of the Misurata sea port announced the seizing of about 3.8 million narcotic pills on board a container coming from Malta, on Saturday. In a statement, the port customs centre confirmed the seizing of a 40-foot container, suspected to be narcotic pills. A customs declaration was submitted and declared as “hospital beds” originating from Malta. A committee was assigned to inspect the container and it found that there were cartons at the end, and upon opening them, it was found that there were undeclared medicinal packages in the customs declaration, and they were suspected to be narcotic pills.
ZAWIYA
- Oct. 26, the Al-Zawiya Oil Refinery Company issued a statement about the damage it suffered as a result of the armed clashes that took place Oct. 25, near the complex. The Oil Refinery company said that the clashes resulted in damages to eight oil storage tanks. It added in its statement that five tanks for storing base oils and chemical additives were also damaged in the mineral oil mixing and filling plant. This resulted in the leakage of large quantities from tank No. (T9) for storing base oil (SN150);
- Violent armed clashes erupted Oct. 25 evening in the city of Al-Zawiya, between the militias of Muhammad Al-Bahrun (Al-Far) and the Stabilization Support Agency, led by Abdel-Ghani Al-Kikli (Ghaniwa).
NATIONAL POLITICS & SOCIAL ISSUES
- Oct. 30, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) called on the Libyan House of Representatives (HoR) to adopt the necessary adjustments, including those put forward by the High National Election Commission (HNEC). In a statement, UNSMIL said that this is needed to enable holding free, fair, inclusive, and credible parliamentary and presidential elections simultaneously on the 24th of December. It called for holding the elections in line with the Libyan political roadmap and Security Council resolutions, and the conclusions of the Second Berlin Conference for Libya;
- Oct. 28, Ibrahim Al-Dabbashi, the former Ambassador of Libya to the UN, announced his intention to run for the country’s Presidential elections, scheduled for Dec. 24. In a statement, Al-Dabbashi announced that his electoral campaign would be launched under the slogan of “With Knowledge and Determination, We Will Build It.” He explained that it will be based on three main axes represented by restoring the Libyan state’s prestige, combating corruption, and preserving national sovereignty;
- Oct. 28, Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit said that all Libyans have the right to run for the upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections. In a televised interview, he stressed that Field Marshal, Khalifa Haftar and Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi also have the constitutional right to run in the elections;
- Security Directors in the cities of Msallata and Tarhuna held a meeting with the Head of the Electoral Administration Office, Oct. 27. The parties agreed to establish a joint security room to facilitate communication, and work to secure the electoral process scheduled for 24 December. During the meeting, they also discussed several aspects related to securing the upcoming Presidential and Parliamentary elections, according to Abdel-Hamid Naji, the Media Coordinator at the Electoral Administration Office in Tarhuna. He added that they discussed ways to secure polling stations, and voter registration card storage facilities;
- Oct. 26, the Head of the Libyan Administrative Control Authority (ACA) issued a decision to suspend the Minister of Education, Musa Al-Mgaryaf, and the Minister of Marine Wealth, Adel Mohamed Hassan. The authority stated that the decision was taken “for reasons within the requirements of the public interest.” The ACA called on the competent authorities to implement the decision from the date of its issuance;
- Oct. 25, former Libyan Oil Minister, Fathi Bin Shatwan announced his candidacy for the Presidential elections scheduled for 24 December. “With God’s blessing, I announce my candidacy for the Presidential elections scheduled for the 24th of December,” the former Minister stated. “I have launched the Libyan civilized renaissance project, accompanied by a group of national personalities from all regions of Libya,” he added;
- Oct. 25, Spokesman of Libya’s Parliament, Abdullah Blaiheg said that an amendment to lower the minimum age for presidential candidates to 35 instead of 40 years old had been approved. The amendment comes within the framework of widening the base of youth participation in leading posts.
NATIONAL SECURITY
- Director of the Moral Guidance Department of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Major General Khaled Al-Mahjoub announced that the 5 + 5 Joint Military Commission (JMC) headed to Cairo Oct. 29. They are set to discuss the timetables for the withdrawal of foreign militants from Libya. Al-Mahjoub added that JMC will hold meetings in Cairo with representatives of neighbouring countries. He noted that the commission is seeking to expel all militants from the country;
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
- The Head of the Libyan High National Election Commission (HNEC), Emad Al-Sayeh, discussed the international community’s support for the upcoming Libyan elections, with the Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) in Libya, Marc-André Franche. The meeting was held at the HNEC office in Tripoli. They discussed the updates of the electoral process and the progress made by the HNEC in the field of holding presidential and parliamentary elections simultaneously. The aim is to stabilize the country;
- Oct. 30, the Libyan Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Najla Al-Mangoush, conducted a telephone conversation with her Italian counterpart, Luigi Di Maio, according to Italian authorities. During the talks, the two top diplomats discussed ways of enhancing bilateral cooperation between Italy and Libya. They also reviewed the outcomes of the Stabilization Conference on in Libya, which was held Oct. 21st, with a view to resolving the country’s thorniest issues ahead of general elections planned for December;
- Oct. 30, the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, held a meeting with the United Nations (UN) Special Envoy for Libya, Ján Kubiš, in Cairo to discuss the latest developments in the North African Arab country. In a statement, the Spokesman for the Egyptian Foreign Ministry, Ahmed Hafez, said that Shoukry reiterated his call for the exit of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya;
- Oct. 30, the former Libyan Ambassador to Morocco, Abdel Majid Seif Al-Nasr, announced his candidacy for the upcoming presidential elections scheduled for Dec. 24. The former Ambassador in a statement said that his decision came after friends and relatives urged him to run for the upcoming presidential elections. He cited the national reconciliation project as his first and most important project. Seif Al-Nasr stated this project includes a number of political, economic, developmental and security programs, stressing that he seeks to address the problems and challenges that the Libyan people suffer from;
- Oct. 27, the Russia Foreign Ministry issued a statement on the meeting between the Russian President’s Special Envoy for the Middle East and Africa, Mikhail Bogdanov and the Egyptian Ambassador, Ihab Nasr. “During the meeting, views were exchanged in detail on urgent issues related to developments in the Middle East and North Africa, with a focus on the situation in Sudan and Libya,” the Russia Foreign Ministry stated;
- Oct. 26, the US imposed sanctions on a Libyan national accused of abusing migrants. This comes amid growing alarms over human trafficking and inhumane conditions in the key gateway state to Europe. In a statement, the US Department of State said it had frozen any assets and criminalized any transactions with Osama Al-Kuni Ibrahim, 45. He is described as the manager of the Al-Nasr detention center in Al-Zawiya, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) from Tripoli;
- Libyan Prime Minister, Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba stated that former German Chancellor, Angela Merkel asked him to open the doors for Libyans to immigrate to Germany, during his visit to Berlin. During a televised speech on the sidelines of a business workshop, Dbaiba explained that Merkel’s request proves the experiences and capabilities of Libyan nationals.
