Libya Security Highlights (October 26 – November 1, 2020)

Force majeure has been lifted from all oilfields and ports.

Several high-ranking official s have been arrested in Tripoli for public funds-related crimes.

PM Al-Sarraj retracted his resignation until a new government is formed.

On the international level, many countries have expressed their support to the upcoming new rounds of talks of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum to be held in Tunis.

On October 26, Libya and Qatar signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in the field of security.

AL-FIL OILFIELD

• Libya’s state National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced on October 26 the lifting of force majeure on its Al-Fil (The Elephant) oilfield, as well as the ending of the blockades in all Libyan oilfields and ports.

TARHUNA

• Two mass graves and two individual graves with 12 unidentified bodies altogether were discovered in the Rabt Project area in Tarhuna, the General Authority for the Search and Identification of Missing Persons reported on October 27.

TRIPOLI

• the GNA Army backup forces and GNA-supporting brigades who took part in the Volcano of Rage Operation urged the House of Representatives and High Council of State in Tripoli to implement the formation of a National Guard, as agreed in 2015, as it would cast legitimacy on them and ensure their working future;

• Libyan PM Fayez al-Sarraj said on October 30 he gave up his decision to resign and will remain in office until the ongoing intra-Libyan political dialogue talks come to an end and a new government is formed;
• The GNA Interior Ministry directed the Criminal Investigation Department to intensify efforts to investigate and arrest former GNA Minister of Local Government, Badad Konswah, and refer him to the Attorney General;

• the Attorney General’s office opened a file against the Undersecretary of the GNA Ministry of Finance on charges of public funds mishandling. Likewise, the Investigation Department had ordered the detention of the General Director of Production at the General Electricity Company on charges of negligence in preserving and maintaining public funds. Another arrest warrant targeted the Director-General of the Al-Inma Company for Medicines and Medical Equipment on charges of abuse of power and damage to public funds. Lastly, the former head of the Social Welfare Fund Committee at the GNA Ministry of Interior was detained on charges of misfeasance.

ZINTAN

• the Special Deterrence Force, also known as “Radaa”, in cooperation with the Information Office of the Ministry of Interior arrested a gang in Zintan that had kidnapped businessman Mustafa al-Qaradi for a $1m ransom, and liberated the hostage.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

• on November 1, UNSMIL acting head Stephanie Williams met with the Vice President of the Presidential Council, Ahmed Maiteeq in Istanbul to discuss the expected outcomes of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, which is due to begin its first round on November 9 in Tunisia;
• on November 1, Russia’s UNSC representative Vasily Nebenzia stated Russia fully supports the expulsion of all foreign mercenaries from Libya, emphasizing the need to respect the ceasefire.
• on October 31, 16 Cyrenaican delegates to the forthcoming Forum for Political Dialogue simultaneously met in Benghazi and Cairo through teleconference, and thereafter released a memorandum to be submitted to UNSMIL listing Cyrenaica’s conditions to participate in the dialogue;
• the 5+5 Joint Military Commission will meet from 2 to 4 November in Ghadames for a fifth round of talks, for the first time inside Libya. The event will be attended by UNSMIL acting head Stephanie Williams;
• the Head of Libya’s Presidential Council Fayez al-Sarraj discussed on October 31 with UNSMIL acting head Stephanie Williams about resuming the political process as per the conclusions of the Berlin conference. Al-Sarraj said that the Tunisia-hosted Libyan Dialogue Forum is a historic opportunity for Libyans to decide on a political solution;
• Tunisian Foreign Minister Al-Jarandi discussed on October 30 with the US ambassadors to Libya and Tunisia, Richard Norland and Donald Blume, the latest developments in Libya, within the framework of Tunisia’s hosting of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum under the auspices of the United Nations;
• the International Criminal Court said Libya remains under an obligation to arrest and surrender Saif al-Islam Gaddafi to be tried at The Hague, adding that the Government of National Accord so far has failed to make progress to that direction;
• on October 30, the governments of Germany, Italy, France, and the UK welcomed the UNSMIL’s announcement of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum as a clear path towards restoring state institutions and achieving security and peace;
• on October 30, German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas called on PM Al-Sarraj to continue performing his duties until the political dialogue comes to a positive end and results in a new government being formed;
• on October 30, Libyan National Party leader Bashir al-Rabiti sent a letter to UNSG António Guterres criticizing UNSMIL’s list of delegates to the Libyan Dialogue Forum, as most of those included in list allegedly are “controversial names, who have suspicious affiliations, and owe allegiance to the Muslim Brotherhood”;
• on October 30, Mauritanian Minister of Defense Hanan Ould Sidi received GNA Chief of Staff, Gen. Mohamed Ali al-Haddad, who visited the Mauritanian Army’s General Staff HQ and the HQ of the Executive Secretariat of the Group of Five Countries in the Sahel;
• on October 29, the Speaker of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives met with the Foreign Minister of Malta, Evarist Bartolo in La Valletta to discuss the latest developments in Libya, especially the ongoing political process under the auspices of the United Nations;
• on October 29, UNSMIL launched an interactive Libyan Dialogue Platform, alhiwar.ly, to run along the current Libya Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) which commenced virtually on 26 October;
• on October 28, UNSG António Guterres discussed with Algeria’s Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum the latest developments in Libya and the signing of the Geneva Agreement by the 5 + 5 Joint Military Committee;
• Libya’s GNA agreed to release two Russian political operatives who have been jailed for more than a year on accusations of meddling with Libya’s political process, officials said on October 28;

• on October 27, UNSMIL acting head Stephanie Williams stated she expects the upcoming political talks to designate a date for national elections;
• on October 27, Russian President Putin discussed with his Turkish counterpart Erdogan a number of current dossiers in the region, including Libya. A statement issued by the Kremlin said that the two presidents discussed the prospects for settling the situation in Libya and intensifying peace talks efforts;
• on October 27, the United Nations Security Council welcomed the permanent ceasefire agreement in Libya signed between both parties to the conflict in Geneva, under the guidance of the United Nations Mission in Libya;
• on October 26, Libya and Qatar signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to strengthen cooperation in the field of security. The signing came after a meeting in Doha, which brought together the Prime Minister of Qatar, Khalid Bin Khalifa Al Thani and the Libyan Foreign Minister, Mohamed Sayala, along with the Minister of Interior, Fathi Bashaga;

• Russia hopes that the recently-announced intra-Libyan ceasefire will be backed by verification mechanisms, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov said on October 26;
• on October 26, the United States Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo welcomed the ceasefire agreement reached by all Libyan parties, describing it as a ‘courageous step;
• during her closing address at the first virtual meeting of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum on October 26, UNSMIL acting head Stephanie Williams warned that ‘‘there are also many who are pursuing the political process and seeking, for personal and narrow purposes, to corrupt and disrupt your path and to introduce it into catacombs of interpretation that will lead to a loss of vision and purpose’’;
• the first virtual meeting of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF) was convened on October 26 by UNSMIL acting head Stephanie Williams. UNSMIL confirmed that LPDF will convene again in Tunis starting 9 November 2020.