By Gary Sandiford, Olive Group’s Dubai based assessments manager. Olive Group is a leading provider of security and technology solutions and has been operating in Libya since mid 2011.
Overview
Little political activity has been reported in Libya this week as the newly elected assembly begins the task of establishing its infrastructure. Mohammed Magarief’s office backtracked on comments he had reportedly made, in which he stated that Libya would adopt a parliamentary system, stating that the countries system of government would only be decided after a new constitution was finalised. While security in Tripoli remains stable, there are growing indications that ‘Qadhafi loyalists’ groups are increasing their activity across the city. On 19 August several car bombs detonated in the city targeting government installations, two people were reported killed. An Iranian delegation was reported to have arrived in Tripoli to join the investigation into the abduction of seven employees of the Iranian Red Crescent in Benghazi on 31 July and Libya’s official news agency reported the release of 140 detainees in Misratah, due to a lack of evidence for criminal charges.
The security situation in Benghazi remains relativly stable. While a number of incidents have been reported in the city over the past week, overall levels of violence have seen a reduction. Two small scale attacks were reported against police and an unconfirmed report claimed that a car belonging to an Egyptian diplomat was blown up near his home in Benghazi. The Grand Mufti of Libya, Sheikh Sadiq Al Gharyani, issued a fatwa condemning the recent bombings and assassinations in Benghazi and a Benghazi-based Islamist group claimed that is has sent fighters toSyriato fight against Asad-regime forces. Little activity was reported from the Al Kufra region in the southeast of the country.
