Libya Security Highlights (June 21-27, 2021)

Jun. 23, Berlin II Conference reiterates call for withdrawing foreign mercenaries, holding elections on time.

Jun. 26, LNA arrests terrorists in southern Libya’s Haruj mountains.

Jun. 27, Nigeria Pres. Buhari warns expelling foreign fighters from Libya may worsen militancy, terrorism in West Africa, Sahel, Lake Chad region.

TRIPOLI

• Jun. 22, the international medical humanitarian organisation Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) decided to suspend its activities in two detention centres in Tripoli, after repeated incidents of violence towards refugees and migrants. The decision came two days after AP reported on “sexual assault by Libyan guards against minor asylum seekers in the centre (Zawiya Street) in Tripoli, where the victims are still in detention”;

• Egypt’s Ambassador Mohamed Tharwat Selim has announced that 90 Egyptians who had been detained in one of Tripoli’s illegal migration centres since Jun. 18 have been released. The 90 migrants were freed as a result of coordination between the Embassy, which reopened in May, and the Libyan authorities. The Ambassador praised Libya’s Interior Minister, Khaled Mazen, and other officials in this regard;

AL-HARUJ MOUNTAINS

• Jun. 26, the LNA arrested some terrorists as part of military operations aimed at destroying the extremist organization’s hideouts in the Haruj mountains in the South of the country. In a statement, Major General Khaled al-Mahjoub (Director, LNA Moral Guidance Department), said that the Libyan armed forces continued their military operations to eliminate terrorism, and arrested more terrorists in the Haruj mountains;

INTERNAL AFFAIRS

• Jun. 26, the Speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives (HoR), Ageela Saleh, had a discussion with the National Security Adviser, Ibrahim Bushnaf. They discussed the affairs of the National Security Council (NSC), as well as activating it to serve the higher interest of the country. During a meeting in the city of Al-Qubba, Saleh affirmed his full support for the NASC to serve the competencies stipulated in its establishment law;

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

• Jun. 27, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, raised the alarm that the expulsion of foreign fighters in Libya, as part of a UN resolution, may worsen militancy and terrorism in West Africa, the Sahel, and Lake Chad region. He also had linked the civil war in Libya to the emergence of insurgency in the Sahel region and Nigeria. In his speech at the 59th Ordinary session of the Authority of Heads of State and Government of ECOWAS in Accra, Ghana; Buhari said it was important that fighters be disarmed first and insisted that the expulsion must be done in collaboration with regional stakeholders. He accused the United Nations of not adequately engaging neighbouring countries to deal with these non-state actors;

• Jun. 27, Egypt’s FM Sameh Shoukry said that the outcomes of the Berlin Conference II stressed the need for foreign forces and mercenaries to leave Libya, holding the upcoming elections as scheduled, and maintaining the ceasefire agreement in the war-torn country. In televised statements, Shoukry called on the Libyan interim Government of National Unity (GNU), to set executive mechanisms for the withdrawal of foreign troops and mercenaries from the country;
• Jun. 27, Egypt’s President Abdul Fatah El-Sisi said that the country is endeavouring to reach a political settlement in Libya based on the outcomes of the Berlin Conference II, the Cairo Declaration and the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC). This came in a speech delivered by El-Sisi during the Egyptian-Iraqi-Jordanian tripartite summit held in the Iraqi capital, Baghdad. El-Sisi stated that, “We assert the difficulty of achieving the desired stability without ending all foreign interference in Libya, and pulling out foreign forces and mercenaries, with the need to continue to respect the ceasefire, leading to the Libyan elections next December”;
• A Libyan delegation led by the Chief of the Libyan Border Guard and comprised of representatives from all Libyan border security institutions, visited the IRINI Operational headquarters. According to a statement by Operation IRINI, the visit came as a part of efforts conducted by the European Union Border Assistance Mission (EUBAM) in Libya. The initiative is aimed at supporting the Libyan authorities in the areas of border security and fighting against crime phenomena, such as terrorism, human trafficking and smuggling;
• Jun. 26, Italy’s PM Mario Draghi, said that his country is seeking to receive greater support from the European Union (EU) in Libya. In a press conference following the end of the European summit in Brussels, Draghi denied that he sought to reach an agreement to resettle refugees coming to Italy from Libya in other European countries. Draghi also explained that it is possible to reach an agreement that must be appropriate and serves the Italian interest. He said that any agreement based on a mandatory basis of redistribution or resettlement of migrants will not be accepted for the time being;

• The United States Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Joey Hood said that the US supports a sovereign, stable, and unified Libya with no foreign interference, and a state that is capable of combating terrorism within its borders. “We firmly oppose all military escalation and all foreign military intervention, which will only deepen and prolong the conflict,” Hood said during a telephonic press briefing Jun. 25;
• Egypt’s FM Sameh Shoukry, said that the presence of Turkish forces in Libya is illegal, based on the agreement with the Government of National Accord (GNA). According to Shoukry, the presence of Turkey’s forces “was not within its competence”. In statements to the MBC Egypt channel Jun. 25, he demanded the exit of Turkish forces from Libya, contributing to the implementation of the outcomes of the recently held Berlin Conference II. Shoukry indicated that Turkey’s reservation on the clause regarding the departure of foreign forces in the Berlin Conference II may be an attempt to “legitimize their presence”;
• The Italian Defence Ministry denied reports that it was increasing the number of Italian soldiers present in Libya, stressing that this information is false. It said in a statement that the number of Italian soldiers currently stationed in Libya is 250 out of an authorized total of 400. “No discussions are currently taking place with the Libyan authorities aimed at increasing the number of our mission personnel there, contrary to what was circulated by some unqualified sources,” the statement noted;
• Jun. 25, Spokesman for the United States Department of State, Christian James confirmed that Secretary of State, Antony Blinken was very clear in his words and intentions during the Berlin II Conference about the necessity of holding elections on time in Libya. He confirmed that he would work with the United Nations, and the international community to achieve this goal;
• Libyan National Security Adviser, Ibrahim Bushnaf, expressed his concerns about the danger of Libya turning into a base for the permanent settlement of migrants and asylum seekers. He added that this might happen, should the government yield to pressure from the international community to label migrants as “refugees”. In a statement, Bushnaf said that the decisions of the Berlin II Conference regarding the closure of immigration detention centres indicated that Libya may become a country for asylum seekers;

• The Head of Libya’s Presidential Council, Mohamed Al-Menfi stressed the importance of Italy as a strategic partner for Libya. He thanked them for the warm welcome he received from the Italian President and PM during his recent visit to Rome. In a tweet, Al-Menfi stated that they dealt with a number of issues of common concern, including the Berlin II Conference. Italian President, Sergio Mattarella received Al-Menfi Jun. 22, at the Quirinal Palace in Rome. The flag of Libya was raised over the palace, for the first time in ten years;

• Jun. 24, members of the Libyan Parliament attended the first meeting of the Arab Parliament’s permanent committee during the third legislative term. During the talks, Libyan MP, Hassan Barghouti, the Deputy Speaker of the Arab Parliament, said that they had discussed the latest developments in the country, stressing the need to hold the upcoming national elections as scheduled;
• Jun. 24, Tunisian FM, Othman al-Jarandi expressed his full support for the success of the political process in Libya. Al-Jarandi met with his Libyan counterpart, Najla al-Mangoush, on the sidelines of the Second Berlin Conference on Libya, Jun. 23. Al-Jarandi stated that Tunisia aims to contribute to the stability in Libya, stressing that this would reflect “positively on the whole of the Mediterranean region,” according to a statement issued by the Tunisian Foreign Ministry. The two top diplomats also discussed ways to develop economic cooperation between Libya and Tunisia;
• Jun. 24, GNU PM Al-Dabaiba met with the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken in Berlin, on the sidelines of the Second International Conference on Libya. Al-Dabaiba outlined his government’s efforts to prepare for the national elections in December, reunite institutions, as well as ensure a fair distribution of resources and begin a long-term reconciliation process. The PM stressed the importance of removing all “illegal” foreign mercenaries and armed groups from Libya, as part of a comprehensive security plan;
• UNSMIL head Ján Kubiš, welcomed the Conclusions of the Berlin II Conference, UNSMIL said in a statement Jun. 24. Kubiš reiterated the Secretary-General’s call “to put an end to all foreign interference, including the full withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya”. Moreover, the Special Envoy also called for holding national elections on 24 December 2021, as scheduled; as well as the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement, which he described as imperative for the stability of Libya;
• Jun. 23, the United States praised the progress the Libyan people have made towards an inclusive and negotiated political solution. In a statement, the US Department of State said that the country is committed to increasing its diplomatic focus on supporting progress in Libya, including through the work of Ambassador Richard Norland as the US Special Envoy for Libya. According to the statement, the US reiterated its strong support for the work of the Government of National Unity (GNU) to ensure elections are held in December 2021;
• Jun. 23, the Berlin II Conference on Libya reiterated the call for the immediate “withdrawal of foreign mercenaries from Libya”. The Conference also called for the Libyan authorities to do their part to make the December elections possible; unify the Central Bank of Libya (CBL); and ensure an equitable distribution of oil revenues. These are the main points of the final declaration adopted today at the Second Berlin International Conference on Libya;

• Jun. 23, the High Representative for Security and Foreign Policy in the European Union, Josep Borrell, said that the presence of militias and foreign fighters in Libya endangers the stability of Libya, calling for their full withdrawal from the North African country. In press statements, on the sidelines of the Berlin II Conference on Libya, he confirmed that it is the only way to ensure that the ceasefire will continue;
• Jun. 23, US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken stressed the need for the full implementation of the ceasefire agreement in Libya signed on 23 October 2020. At a joint press conference in Berlin with his German counterpart, Heiko Maas, he demanded the withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya;
• Jun. 22, Libyan PM, Abdel-Hamid Al-Dabaiba met with German FM, Heiko Maas on the sideline of the Second Berlin Conference on Libya. Libyan FM Al-Mangoush also attended the meeting, according to a statement by the German Foreign Ministry. The two sides discussed the ongoing preparations for national elections in December, and the withdrawal of foreign fighters;
• Libyan Undersecretary of the Ministry of Oil and Gas, Rifaat Al-Abbar met with the UAE Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, Suhail Al-Mazrouei. They discussed the ways to strengthen trade relations and joint cooperation. Al-Abbar stressed that Libya has a real desire to cooperate with the UAE in developing its oil industry and development projects, in order to attract investments to the country;

• Libya’s 5+5 Joint Military Commission (JMC), said in a statement that its members will meet in the city of Sirte to complete security arrangements for a “safe” reopening of the Coastal Road. The JMC stated that it had conducted field visits to “ensure the safety of the road.” These field visits were attended by several members of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL);
• The Commander of US Africa Command, Stephen Townsend met with representatives of Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU), and the Chief of Staff of the Libyan Army, General Mohamad Al-Haddad at the closing ceremony of ‘Exercise African Lion 21’. This came during Townsend’s visit to Morocco to attend the closing ceremony, and to meet with several African defence leaders.