By Tripoli Operations Manager, SNE Special Projects.
North Western Libya: Another busy week in and around Tripoli with the 17th February revolution anniversary passing without any incident of note and the 20th February vote for the new sixty person committee who will be charged with drafting a new constitution taking place amid high security, the 60 members of the constitutional committee will have 120 days to draft the charter and they will be divided equally between Libya's three regions of Tripolitania in the west, Cyrenaica in the east, and Fezzan in the south. GNC members evacuated from GNC HQ on Sunday evening due to heavy gunfire nearby, at the time the GNC was considering a resolution to declare two Zintani militias the Qaaqaa and Sawaiq Brigades illegitimate, supposedly causing a large convoy of Zintani technicals to deploy along the airport road and in the area of the GNC, firing anti-aircraft weaponry into the air in a show or force and intimidation.
Eastern Libya: Seven Christian Egyptians were found shot dead on a beach in Benghazi last evening, having previously been abducted from their apartments. The trend of bombings and killings has continued within the eastern region and in Benghazi itself where two explosions in the early hours of the morning, destroyed a restaurant and eight vehicles. The spokesman for Benghazi Joint Security Room, Ibrahim Al-Sharaa said that the two explosions, one on the Corniche and the other on nearby Gzeer Street had occurred ten minutes apart with two more people murdered in political killings Benghazi, throwing a shadow over what were already muted celebrations to mark the third anniversary of the revolution. Libyan police reported that they arrested six Qataris at Benghazi airport on Saturday as they tried to board a plane to Turkey using forged Libyan passports and carrying almost $146,000 in mixed currency. Southern Libya: Tuareg protesters have blockaded the Sharara oilfield again, nationwide production fell to 231,000 from 370,000 barrels per day. According to the manager of the oilfield which is the second largest in Libya, the Tuaregs resumed their blockade of their oilfield on Saturday, possibly causing serious damage to generators. The Tuareg protesters are demanding the removal of Ubari’s unelected Local Council as well as minority rights. The demonstrators forced a two-month closure of Sharara which ended in early January. The action was called off after intervention by the government, which apparently promised to do everything in its power to meet their demands. SNE assesses that travel to Libya is still possible but advises that stringent security and travel management plans are in place. An itinerary specific pre-travel risk assessment including mitigation measures are recommended. Travel to desert and border areas, between cities and major urban centres may require additional security support. In-country personnel should be confident in their evacuation procedures and crisis management plans. Crime remains one of the biggest risks to foreign personnel operating on the ground and the risk is assessed to be at its highest in outlying areas of the cities, particularly after last light when travel is not recommended. SNE can assist clients with pre entry risk assessments, on the ground physical support, safe discreet transportation, accommodation/business centre and risk management services throughout the region with villas and offices in both Tripoli & Benghazi.
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