Libya Security Highlights (March 1-7, 2021)

Mar. 7, 42 MPs call for confidence vote postponement.

Mar. 4, PM-designate Dbaiba submits cabinet list to HoR Speaker Saleh.

Mar. 2, Libya’s new GNU calls on UN experts to publish results of investigation into corruption, bribery over alleged LPDF vote-buying during Tunis session.

TRIPOLI

• Mar. 7, Libyan lawyer, Hanadi Khalifa Al-Qadiri was killed by an armed group in the Al-Tughar Mosque area, southern Tripoli. Her sister was injured in the attack on their home, and was transferred to intensive care. Eyewitnesses said that the gunmen were “a group of mercenaries from Chad.” They explained that these “mercenaries” are affiliated with Osama Ghweli, and are active in the area;
• Mar. 6, Libyan security forces managed to retrieve two children hours after they had been kidnapped while sleeping in their father’s car, which was stolen in the Khallet Al-Furjan area, south of Tripoli;
• Mar. 4, the Head of the Administrative Control Authority (ACA) in Tripoli, Suleiman Al-Shanti called on the Acting Attorney General to take all necessary measures to confront the attack on the authority’s headquarters by an armed group. Al-Shanti said that he had filed a note to the Minister of Defense of the Government of National Accord, Salah Al-Din Al-Namroush demanding that all necessary legal measures be taken to stop any further attacks on public institutions;
• Mar. 1, the Libyan investigation authorities refuted the claims of Fathi Bashagha that he had been subjected to an assassination attempt last month in Tripoli. In a report, the head of the North Tripoli Primary Prosecution Office, Omar Fakini confirmed that the incident involving Bashagha’s convoy was not intended to assassinate the minister, according to the evidence presented.

SIRTE

• Mar. 4, Interior Minister of Libya’s eastern-based government, Ibrahim Bushnaf ordered the formation of joint forces to secure Sirte. This comes ahead of the Libyan Parliament’s vote of confidence session for the Government of National Unity (GNU). In a letter addressing the General Administration of Central Support, and the General Department of Criminal Investigation, Bushnaf ordered them to form a joint force tasked with securing the parliament’s crucial session set to be held in Sirte on 8 March;

SURMAN

• Mar. 7, Armed men kidnapped Libyan citizen, Khaled Mohamad Al-Akrak, in the Al-Matrad area in the city of Surman. Local sources revealed that Al-Akrak is a resident of the city of Sabratha, and that armed men kidnapped him while he was in Surman. They pointed out that the kidnappers asked Al-Akrak’s family for LYD 2m in exchange for his release.

NATIONAL POLITICS

• Mar. 7, 42 Members of Parliament (MPs) of the Libyan House of Representatives (HoR) called for the postponement of the voting session scheduled to be held in Sirte tomorrow to grant confidence to the government of Abdelhamid Dbaiba;
• Mar. 6, Libya’s outgoing Interim Prime Minister, Abdullah Al-Thinni, urged his government to speed up arrangements related to the handover of power to the unity government after it obtains the confidence of Parliament. Al-Thinni has pledged to hand over power to the new government as soon as it is granted confidence by Parliament. He called on the international community to punish those he described as “spoilers”;
• Mar. 4, Prime Minister-designate of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba announced that he had submitted the proposed list of his cabinet members to the Libyan Parliament. In a statement, the government’s media office added that this comes within the framework of Dbaiba’s commitment to the roadmap specified in the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF). As well as to the procedures set for the delivery of the cabinet line-up before holding the vote of confidence session on Monday;
• Mar. 4, Libyan MP, Issa Al-Eraibi claimed that more than 120 MPs will participate in the upcoming parliamentary session to grant confidence to Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU). Al-Eraibi noted in a press statement to Al-Ittihad newspaper that the MPs are ready to attend the session which will be held in Sirte;
• Mar. 3, Libyan Member of Parliament, Ibrahim Al-Dorsi stated that the Parliamentary confidence-granting session should be postponed for another week. This is until the UN’s Panel of Experts issues its report on bribery allegations to the Security Council;

• Mar. 2, Libya’s new executive authority called on UN experts to publish the results of the investigation into corruption and bribery over the alleged vote-buying at the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF). A leaked report of UN experts noted that two participants allegedly offered bribes of between USD 150k to 200k to at least three LPDF participants, if they promised to vote for Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba as PM.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

• Mar. 7, Egypt’s Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry, received the United Nations (UN) Special Envoy to Libya, Ján Kubiš, to discuss “developments in the Libyan crisis.” They also discussed ways to reach a political solution that preserves the unity of Libya and the capabilities of its people;

• Mar. 6, German Foreign Minister, Heiko Maas, and his French counterpart, Jean-Yves Le Drian, had a phone call during which they discussed bilateral cooperation and issues pertaining to the Middle East. They stressed the importance of holding the Libyan elections as scheduled on December 24 this year, in order to advance the political process;
• Mar. 6, a leaked document revealed that the United Kingdom (UK) plans to cut aid to conflict-ridden countries including Libya, Syria, and Somalia by up to two-thirds. According to a report obtained by the openDemocracy website, the UK’s Foreign Office will reduce aid to Libya by 63%;
• Mar. 6, the Foreign Ministers of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO) member states affirmed their commitment to the unity, sovereignty and safety of Libya and the principle of non-interference in its internal affairs. The CSTO is a political-military alliance established in October 2002, including Russia and six republics of the former Soviet Union, namely Belarus, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan and Armenia. Georgia and Azerbaijan withdrew from the organization;
• Mar. 5, German Chancellor Angela Merkel made a telephone call to Libya’s Prime Minister-designate, Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba. The two parties discussed the latest political developments in Libya. According to a statement published by the Government of National Unity (GNU), Dbaiba emphasized the positive role played by Germany in leading a unified European position, by hosting the Berlin Conference and working to end the conflict in Libya;
• Mar. 5, Saudi King, Salman bin Abdel Aziz, congratulated Mohamed Menfi on his election as the new Head of Libya’s Presidential Council. King Salman affirmed that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is keen to support and consolidate bilateral relations between the two countries;
• Mar. 5, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Mohamed Siyala held a meeting with his Sudanese counterpart, Asma Mohamed Abdalla in Cairo. The two parties discussed ways to strengthen bilateral relations, security coordination, border security, enhancing economic cooperation, and the resumption of Libyan investments in Sudan;
• Mar. 4, US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland urged the Libyan Parliament to grant confidence to National Unity Government. He also stressed the need for “swift action” on the part of Libyan leaders in repairing the electricity sector and other key areas;
• Mar. 4, UNSMIL head Jan Kubis travelled to Moscow to meet with Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sergey Lavrov, and his Deputy, Mikhail Bogdanov. They discussed a wide range of issues related to the political, security, and economic developments in Libya, as well as ways to advance the implementation of the political roadmap, and the ceasefire agreement signed on 23 October 2020;
• Mar. 3, Israel’s Environmental Protection Minister, Gila Gamliel said that Iran intentionally polluted the Mediterranean Sea and Israel’s shores in an act of ecological terrorism, causing the greatest environmental disaster in Israel’s history, according to Jerusalem Post. “The people responsible for this pollution have to pay the price. Our enviorment is damaged, our animals are harmed thanks to merciless criminals,” Gamliel said.

• Mar. 2, The Libyan Embassy in Washington stated that the defence committees of the US Senate and Congress fully support the stability of Libya. The embassy said in a statement on Tuesday that Ambassador Bughaighis updated both House Chair, Adam Smith and Senate Committee staff on the latest developments in Libya;
• Mar. 2, Head of Libya’s Presidency Council, Mohamed Menfi and Deputy Musa Al-Koni met with the Acting Head of the Russian Diplomatic Mission in Libya, Jamshed Boltaev in Tripoli. The meeting discussed aspects of cooperation on a number of important bilateral issues. Boltaev also extended the congratulations of Russian President, Vladimir Putin to Menfi on the appointment of Libya’s new executive authority;

• Mar. 1, Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy was sentenced to three years in prison, for corruption. This consists of a one year house arrest sentence, and a two year suspended sentence. French detectives began monitoring Sarkozy’s communications in September 2013. This was part of an investigation into claims he had received an illegal and undeclared EUR 50m donation from Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi to fund his successful 2007 presidential campaign.