SNE Special Projects have operated within Libya since the revolution of 2011 and are a fully licensed security provider working with our Libyan partner company. We have kept our permanent British & Libyan Country Management Team in Tripoli throughout the last few difficult months, supporting our clients staff and critical infrastructure and offering up to date, regular and accurate reporting throughout this period. We are now in a strong position to advise and support our clients as they look to plan their re-entry back into Libya as and when the current situation stabilises and allows for remobilization and we have a vast amount of experience of supporting clients from the media, telecoms, power generation & NGO sectors. For more information on our services within Libya please email us at specialprojects@snegroup.co.uk
SNE Libya Security Summary
The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Chief Mr Bernadino Leon has at last been able to announce an “agreement in principle” with both major Militias for the next session of peace talks which are now due to be held on the 05 January 2015. Leon reportedly briefed the fifteen nation Security Council via video link that he had an agreement “in principal” and the location of the talks has not yet been agreed on.
In the meantime Tripoli remains a ‘workable’ environment with a relatively stable infrastructure. Recent days have seen considerably less traffic at fuel stations in the city which would suggest that fuel problem has subsided for now. It appears that the city is carrying out its business as usual with high volumes of traffic and congestion in the rush hours.
The capital is again experiencing serious power-cuts of between three and six hours per day and the General Electric Company of Libya (GECOL) has taken to issue instructions on Libyan TV to residents to turn off appliances when not in use to assist with the supply problem.
A fire on Saturday at the Saudi embassy in central Tripoli damaged three vehicles but was brought under control by firemen called to the premises last night. According to reports the diplomatic police outside the embassy had noticed smoke and raised the alarm. The embassy has been empty for some time. Saudi Ara-bian diplomats left Libya in the summer and are currently operating out of Tunis.
Meanwhile fighting continues for control of the Es Sider and Ras Lanuf oil ports with the latest reports being that there are fires in three of the large oil storage tanks caused by Libya Dawn forces allegedly firing an RPG from a fast moving boat, the fire is now as severe as the recent Tripoli Brega refinery fire and the Port Authorities have evacuated the facility and are calling for International assistance to extinguish the blaze.
Fighting to the West of Tripoli in the Jmail and Rigdaleen areas seems to of ceased over the last few days and sources say that Libya Dawn forces were allowed to enter the towns to avoid further loss of life. The Pro-government forces claimed that they have made advances in Western Libya and that the towns of al Jmail and Rigdaleen were reportedly conceded to Libya Dawn forces in order to prevent further violence from breaking out.
Libya Dawn forces remain in control of the Ras Jedir border crossing, and have claimed to control the entire coastal region between Tripoli and the Tunisian border. Both the Tunisian and Egyptian border crossing points are currently open. Tunisia closed its side of the Ras Jdir crossing to assist with Security for its presi-dential elections and reoped it on the 24 December. Libya Dawn are still responsible for this crossing point and currently we have no reports of any incidents around this area.
There were reports of a car bomb which detonated outside a Government building in Tripoli in Sidi Masri ar-ea. Allegedly this device was planted by Daesh or Islamic State in the very early hours of Saturday morning. No one was hurt but there was damage to the building. Responsibility has since been claimed by the “Islamic State of Tripoli” which is supposedly the local presence of the Islamic State, otherwise known as Daesh.
Daesh’s primary presence in Libya is in Derna which it effectively controls. However, a group pledging allegiance to Daesh in Tripoli was reported to have surfaced last month, although Libya Dawn subsequently denied the existence of any such organisation. Nonetheless it is widely believed that there is a branch in the capital even if it does not have many members. Moreover, the dividing line between Daesh and Ansar Al-Sharia, also thought to have a presence in Tripoli, is increasingly seen as fluid.
Due to the current ongoing unstable and unpredictable situation within Libya, SNE are recommending that clients only carry out business essential travel and movements only these trips should only be undertaken within Tripoli city limits only and no movement should be attempted in the hours of darkness or near the area of Tripoli International Airport and surroundings districts which have been affected by the fighting and are currently controlled by the Libya Dawn militia group.
We are advising No movement to the western area of Libya in and around Kikla and Rujban and other surrounding areas where fighting is still ongoing between the Zintan and Libya Dawn militia groups. Sporadic fighting between rival tribal factions is also currently ongoing in the areas of Ubari, Sabha & Murzuq and we are advising our clients Not to travel to these southern areas at present.
We are still presently advising NO travel should be made to Benghazi until the current situation shows signs of stability and Operation Dignity forces have full control of the city and transportation methods of entering and leaving Benghazi are open again.
SNE are supporting our clients at present in Tripoli with business essential travel visits and are offering a full turnkey security risk management, safe transportation with secure accommodation and life support package based from our Tripoli villa.
The British FCO and US State Department are still advising against travel to Libya and are monitoring the security and political situation before considering remobilisation plans back into Libya.
SNE remains fully operational on the ground within Tripoli, where our British Country Management Team are able to support any of our existing and additional clients requests and provide up to date accurate information and analysis on the ever changing situation to those clients who are currently out of country monitoring the situation with an aim to re-deploying when the security and political situation allows. Before considering travel to Libya, an itinerary specific pre-travel risk assessment including mitigation measures are recommended. In-country personnel should be confident in their evacuation procedures and crisis management plans and in light of the current situation these should be checked and updated where necessary with the appropriate level of support in country to activate the plans when required.
To discuss further how SNE can support your projects in Libya please contact us by email at specialprojects@snegroup.co.uk or call our Dubai office on +971 44561542 / +971 503786803
