The issue of militias continues to dominate the coverage of Libya over the past week, and with good reason. While each country has its own history and idiosyncrasies, there is not a single successful, functioning state that allows unaccountable armed gangs to operate with impunity.
But bringing them under control is not made easier by the fact that they are in many cases well equipped and well funded, often from abroad, and sometimes have the support of senior figures within the official military.
Central government must provide the resources to ensure that the legitimate forces can either integrate the militias or make them redundant, as the current situation is not compatible with a healthy society.
As Duncan Bullivant, chief executive officer of Henderson Risk, a UK-based security analyst, told Bloomberg:
"Failure to get this right now will not allow Libya to reach its potential, and will see it as an unstable oil-producing nation, rich in cash but dominated by armed gangs."
You can find more information on the evolving security situation in Libya in our Weekly Security Update.
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