Libya Security Highlights (May 24-30, 2021)

May 28, Italy FM Di Maio says strengthening Libya-EU co-op “essential” to address migration from Libya coast.

May 29, MIG 21 crashes during Haftar’s Operation Dignity 7^th anniversary parade in Benina-Benghazi, killing pilot Brig. Jamal bin Amer. PM Al-Dabaiba, PC head Al-Menfi had refused attending Haftar parade by traveling to Algeria, Tunisia respectively.

May 29, Libyan Navy rescues 261 illegal immigrants from different African countries.

BENGHAZI

• May 29, a MIG 21 warplane crashed as it was carrying out a ceremonial mission for Khalifa Haftar’s Operation Dignity’s seventh anniversary in Benina-Benghazi, killing the pilot, Brig. Jamal bin Amer. The ceremony went on normally. Neither Haftar nor his commanders mentioned the incident in their speeches. Haftar attended his army parade with his military leaderships. He stated that his war on Tripoli in 2019 was the right decision and urged the Government of National Unity to compensate people for the damage his forces did to the capital and its southern parts. Before the ceremony, Haftar invited PM Al-Dabaiba and the Head of Presidential Council, Al-Menfi to attend his military parade, but both evaded the procession by traveling on visits to Algeria and Tunisia respectively;

• May 24, the Coordinator of the December 24 Movement, Saleh Ahzaz said that they had staged a protest in front of the Tibesti Hotel in Benghazi, in order to urge the Government of National Unity (GNU) to hold the upcoming national elections as scheduled, and without delay;

INTERNAL AFFAIRS

• May 29, the Commander-in-Chief of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar demanded that the presidential and parliamentary elections be held as scheduled on December 24. He stressed the need for armed groups spread in the country to be dissolved. The LNA commander-in-chief stressed the importance of the armed forces’ role in fighting terrorism and launching the political process in Libya;

• May 29, the Spokesman for the Libyan National Army (LNA), Major General Ahmed al-Mismari, said there are parties in Libya that do not want reconciliation and the peaceful transfer of power, but instead seek the continuation of chaos in the country. He explained that these “traitors” spread sedition by deception and hate speech;
• Many of the Syrian fighters deployed in foreign conflict theatres such as Libya are being “robbed of their wages”, according to France 24 news agency. In Libya, which has been conflict-ridden for the past decade, Turkey has supported the outgoing Government of National Accord (GNA) with Syrian fighters and Turkish advisors. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, mercenaries recruited from Syria were offered deals, sometimes in written contracts, fetching USD 3,000 in monthly pay with compensation to their families of USD 75,000 in case of death. The Turkish government has promised some even Turkish citizenships;
• Minister of Transportation, Muhammad Salem Al-Shahoubi, gave permission for airlines to resume operating domestic flights between Tobruk Airport and Al Bayda’s Al-Abraq Airport in the east of the country. On Monday, in a letter addressed to the General Director of the Libyan Airlines Company and the Director General of the Afriqiyah Airways Company, Al-Shahoubi said that swift measures needed to be taken to resume domestic flights in Libya and to submit schedules of regular flights to the Civil Aviation Authority;
• May 24, the Libyan Parliament held a plenary session to discuss the amended 2021 budget submitted to it by the Government of National Unity (GNU), led by PM Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba;

ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION

• The NGO Proactiva Open Arms published photos of several drowned migrants, including children, as they tried to cross the Mediterranean from Libya to Europe. The photos show the partially clothed bodies of small children and a woman, bloated and half buried in the sand. “The Mediterranean is the biggest graveyard in the world. We are in shock,” Laura Lanuza, Open Arms’ Head of Communications told the BBC. “When people try to flee from Libya they shouldn’t be taken back or left adrift in the Mediterranean. There should be a search and rescue operation… to protect lives at sea,” she added;
• May 29 The Libyan Navy said one of its patrols off the coast rescued Saturday 261 illegal immigrants from different African countries as they were making the risky journey to European shores on a rubber boat. The Libyan Navy added on Facebook that its patrol rescued the immigrants after receiving a distress call, saying that the immigrants had been disembarked at Tripoli Naval Base before being sent to the Anti-Illegal Immigration Center.

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

• May 31, Tunisian President, Kais Saied bid farewell to the Head of Libya’s Presidential Council, Mohamed Al-Menfi, after a three-day visit to Tunisia to discuss regional issues and bilateral cooperation;
• May 30, The Algerian Foreign Minister, Sabri Boukadoum, said his country supports the efforts of the Libyan executive authorities, represented by the Presidential Council and the Government of National Unity (GNU), to hold free and fair national elections. Boukadoum also expressed Algeria’s support for the efforts made by the Libyan authorities to restore political and security stability in Libya, achieve national reconciliation, and unify state institutions;
• May 29, the Head of Libya’s Presidential Council, Mohammed al-Menfi arrived in Tunisia for a three-day state visit. The parties held private discussions at the Carthage Palace, preceded by expanded talks in the presence of the delegations of the two countries;
• May 28, the Italian Foreign Minister, Luigi Di Maio said strengthening cooperation between the European Union (EU) and Libya is “essential” to address the migration flows coming from the Libyan coast. Di Maio, his Maltese counterpart Evarist Bartolo and the EU Commissioner for Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations, Olivér Várhelyi arrived in the Libyan capital Tripoli on Friday morning;

• Austrian Ambassador to Libya Christoph Meyenburg confirmed that the Austrian Embassy to Libya will be moved permanently from Tunis to Tripoli, over the coming period. It will also start providing its services to Libyan citizens, especially with regard to issuing visas. During a meeting with Libyan Interior Minister Khaled Mazen on Thursday at the ministry’s headquarters, the Austrian ambassador expressed his satisfaction at the security situation in Tripoli, according to a statement by the media office of the Ministry of the Interior;
• May 27, the Syrian Observatory of Human Rights (SOHR) said that thousands of Turkish-backed Syrian mercenaries remain deployed in Libya. This is despite the ceasefire agreement, and international calls demanding the need for all foreign forces and mercenaries to depart the country. In a statement, the SOHR announced that the repatriation of Syrian fighters from Libya has been completely suspended by Turkey. This is except for individual attempts by some mercenaries who have provided fake medical discharge papers, and bribed commanders to be sent home;
• May 27, the British Embassy in Libya expressed its hope that the participants of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum (LPDF), would be able to reach a consensus and pave the way for the upcoming December elections;
• May 27, Egyptian President, Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi and German Chancellor, Angela Merkel exchanged views on the current developments in Libya, during a scheduled call between the two leaders. According to the statement, El-Sisi reviewed Egypt’s efforts aimed at supporting the current transitional phase in Libya, leading to the elections in December. Chancellor Merkel praised Egypt’s role in the Libyan crisis, “which strengthened the course of the political process in Libya.” During the call, the two leaders affirmed the importance of the departure of mercenaries and foreign forces from Libya. “The departure of foreign forces from Libya will enhance the smoothness and success of the transitional period, and contribute to meeting the aspirations of the Libyan people.” They also agreed to continue bilateral coordination in this regard, the statement concluded;
• May 26, Libya’s Foreign Minister Najla Al-Mangoush held a telephone conversation with Kuwaiti Foreign Minister and Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah. During the talks, they discussed the latest political developments in Libya, and ways to strengthen bilateral relations. They also touched on the current efforts being made to support the political process in Libya, by following the UN roadmap. As well as the preservation of Libya’s unity, security, stability, and territorial integrity, and the lead up to the general elections, scheduled for 24 December 2021;
• May 26, Egyptian President Abdel-Fatah El-Sisi held talks with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Cairo. They discussed a number of regional issues, especially with regard to latest developments in Libya, according to the Egyptian Presidency Spokesman, Bassam Rady. The meeting was also attended by Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Sameh Shoukry and Chief of General Intelligence Service, Abbas Kamel. As well as Victoria Noland; Under-Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Jonathan Cohen; the US Ambassador to Cairo; and Thomas Sullivan, the Deputy Secretary of the US Chief of Staff.
• May 26, Libya’s Ambassador to Italy, Omar Abdel-Salam Al-Tarhouni met with Italian Minister of Justice, Marta Cartabia in Rome. The minister welcomed Al-Tarhouni, who conveyed the greetings of her Libyan counterpart, Halima Ibrahim Al-Busifi. The talks dealt with the procedures for the visit of GNU PM, Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba in the coming days, and a number of issues related to bilateral cooperation. The two parties discussed the signing of a bilateral extradition agreement, which has been on pause since 2019. The Ambassador informed Cartabia that Al-Busifi looked forward to meeting her soon in Rome, to strengthen bilateral cooperation;
• May 25, Head of Libya’s Presidential Council, Mohamed Al-Menfi, met with Nigerian President Mohamed Bazoum, and the Head of the Chadian Transitional Military Council, Mohamed Deby. The three leaders met in the Nigerian capital Abuja, on the sidelines of the extraordinary summit of heads of state of the Lake Chad Basin Commission. The meeting dealt with bilateral relations, and emphasised the need to intensify efforts in security cooperation and border control, strengthening counter-terrorism operations, and ending illegal immigration and organized crime, according to a press briefing by Al-Menfi’s Media Office.
• May 24, Qatar’s Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohamed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani arrived in Cairo for a two-day visit, as part of his Arab tour. The Qatari FM will meet with his Egyptian counterpart, Sameh Shoukry on Tuesday, and discuss strengthening bilateral cooperation. This is in addition to reviewing the latest developments in the region, especially the situations in Libya and Palestine;
• May 24, Libyan Foreign Minister, Najla Al-Mangoush met with German Ambassador to Libya, Oliver Owcza. They discussed the illegal immigration crisis and the upcoming elections, in addition to the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country. The German Ambassador described his meeting with Al-Mangoush as “constructive”, indicating that they looked forward to “supporting the national elections and the withdrawal of foreign forces.” They also discussed “ways to improve immigration management.”