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 enough and allows for remobilization. We have a vast amount of experience of supporting clients from the media, telecoms, power generation, Oil & Gas, Construction & NGO sectors. For more information on our services within Libya please email us at specialprojects@snegroup.co.uk or visit our website www.snespecialprojects.co.uk
There has been no news this last week from Bernardino Leon of the UNSMIL with regards to establishing a Government of National Unity and with Ramadan just over one month away now, it appears that the initial intention which had been proposed to go forward into the holy month with the knowledge of peace be-tween the warring factions and a new government body being formed could be slipping away.
Turkey has condemned as “heinous” an attack on a Turkish owned vessel attempting to enter the port of Derna, during which the third officer, a Turkish national was killed and several crew members injured. The government has protested to Libyan diplomats at both the embassy in Ankara and the consulate in Istan-bul.
A delegation from the House of Representatives (HoR) along with a number of civil society activists and journalists visited the Warshfana area on Sunday, in what is seen as a move to consolidate links between the two groups. Reconciliation talks have also been taking place in Sabratha, west of Tripoli, between local leaders and officials from Zintan. In the current conflict west of the capital between Libya Dawn and what are mainly support forces forming part of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Sabratha has been firmly on the Libya Dawn side while the Zintanis having been the backbone of the LNA fighters in the area. Zintan and Misrata this week again swopped prisoners, 17 Zintanis held in Misrata and 7 Misratans held in Zawia.
Sixty members of the continuing General National Congress (GNC) have called on its president, Nuri Abu Sahmain, to suspend participation on the UN-brokered Dialogue, the Libya Herald reported. They are also said to have demanded that there be no more involvement until Leon and other UNSMIL officials be replaced. According to Congress member for Sebha, Abdulgader Ehwaili who is member of its Political Affairs Committee, the recent draft proposals from UN Special Envoy Bernardino Leon, are wholly unacceptable.
A Tunisian judge, sent to Beida last Saturday to investigate reports that the two missing Tunisian journal-ists, Sofiane Chourabi and Nadhir Gtari, had been killed, says he has been told they are now dead. A week and a half ago, the Libyan Justice Ministry said that they and five journalists working for Cyrenaica TV had been murdered by the Islamic State (IS). The disclosure followed the arrest of a Libyan and three Egyp-tians, thought to be IS members, who allegedly said that all seven had been murdered and their bodies buried near the IS stronghold of Derna.
Militants, believed to be Islamic State (IS) forces from Derna, attacked the Libyan National Army (LNA) checkpoint near Guba again yesterday, causing several injuries but no deaths. According to an army spokesman, as in the previous attack the militants approached on foot from the direction of Ras Al-Hilal and attacked using rocket propelled grenades. The LNA responded in kind in a skirmish that lasted about an hour during the morning. Security forces from both Guba and Labrak came out to support the LNA and they were able to repel the attack. After the militants retreated, the LNA pursued them and searched the area around Ras Al-Hilal, but were unable to locate or capture the attackers.
The Red Crescent organised the delivery of much needed medical supplies to Benghazi Medical Centre this week. The Tripoli, Cyrene and Benghazi branches of the Red Crescent sent 20 boxes of supplies for medical diagnostic imaging, including dyes, from Tripoli to Benghazi on Wednesday. Benghazi Medical Centre has been in dire need of supplies. The Libyan Red Crescent has been crucial in helping facilitate delivery of supplies several times over the past few months.
The Minister for Electricity and Renewable Energy, Mr. Nour Eddin Salem has warned that unless the fighting stops the country could be plunged into total darkness, there are too many damaged parts within the National Grid and despite his GECOL teams working to provide Libya with Electricity the black-outs will continue and in fact worsen and eventually cease all power he said at a press conference this week.
Due to the current ongoing unstable and unpredictable security situation within Libya, SNE are recommending that at this moment in time clients only carry out business essential travel trips to Libya, these trips should only be undertaken within Tripoli city limits and no movement should be attempted in the hours of darkness or near certain flash point areas such as Tripoli International Airport and surroundings districts, GNC buildings and hotels known to be frequented by internationals which could prove to be flash points for further incidents.
After the attack on the Corinthia hotel in Tripoli on the 27 January, hotels in Tripoli are now being looked at again from a security perspective and for the time being we recommend only using safe accommodation which has been authorised for use.
Locally employed client staff within Libya should continually practice extra vigilance and caution regarding their personal security, in addition anything classed as suspicious should be reported to the SNE Security Tripoli Operations Manager at the first opportunity.
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 at some point in the future.
SNE remains fully operational on the ground within Tripoli, where our mixed British and Libyan 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 or Egypt please contact us by email at specialprojects@snegroup.co.uk or call our Dubai office on +971 44561542 / +971 503786803 or visit our website www.snespecialprojects.co.uk
