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
The atmospherics in Tripoli are good and people are going about their daily business as normal with shops open and over seven days of uninterrupted mains power supply. Tripoli Mitiga airports flight schedule is going ahead as normal and people seem to be preparing for the start of Ramadan on or around the 18 June with an optimistic view that a unity government could be formed sometime in the near future to bring all the opposing sides together to combat the ever increasing threat of IS in Libya.
Speaking at a press conference in Brussels on Thursday, UN SRSG Bernardino Leon said that all parties must understand that compromise is better than continuing the conflict in Libya. He added that no side will get 100 percent of what it wants in the negotiations. They must be prepared to concede some things and recognise and bring an end to the conflict, a conflict “that is going nowhere”. Leon was speaking ahead of the delivery of the draft agreement that the conflicting parties of the UN sponsored dialogue should receive in the first week of June. “The country is running out of time,” Leon emphasised. “Libya is on the verge of economic and financial collapse.” “Libya’s economic collapse is a real possibility. Recently, I met with the governor of the central bank and the situation is very difficult in terms of Libyan finances,” he stated.
An opinion survey conducted in twenty two Libyan towns and cities across the political divide showed that an overwhelming number of Libyans were optimistic with regards to the future and believed in the 17 February revolution, in favour of the unity of the country and for a decentralized system of government. The survey was organized by the preparatory committee of the National Dialogue Authority and the Benghazi University Research Centre polled 1350 Libyans. While the need for national unity polled 98 percent, only 11 percent preferred a federal system whereas 60 percent supported a decentralized system for running the country. Moreover, despite the fact that most Libyans had prior to the 2012 and 2014 parliamentary elections never experienced democratic elections in their lives, 97 percent reported that they believed in the peaceful rotation of government. Equally encouragingly for the UN led peace talks is that 94 percent rejected violence as the means to solving their differences.
Libya’s internationally recognized Prime Minister, Abdullah Thinni accused Libya Dawn militias of ‘’a very great complicity’’ in the ‘’direct handing over’’ of the whole city of Sirte to IS. Thinni, speaking at a press conference on Sunday from the government’s base in Al-Beida, said that even the attempt by Libya Dawn/Sunrise militias over a month ago to reach the oil crescent was in cooperation with IS as the Dawn/Sunrise coalition had to pass and return through IS controlled territory. However, striking a reconciliatory note, Thinni called ‘’on all to stand as one and leave behind our sectarian struggle in order to overcome our joint enemy which is terrorism in all the meaning of the word’’.
The Tripoli based GNC and Libya Dawn government called for a general mobilisation against IS, following the suicide bombing attack at the Dafniya checkpoint west of Misrata. In a social media statement it urged officers, soldiers, revolutionaries and all security forces to mobilise and fight IS. “The Tripoli government is determined” said the statement,” to continue fighting extremism and criminal gangs who operate under what is known as the Islamic State [ISIS] banner until they are uprooted”. The antigovernment also issued a plea to the international community to help it fights extremists, because they represented a major threat to Libya’s security and future prospects.
A suicide bomber killed five people and wounded seven in an attack on Misrata’s western checkpoint at Dafniya early Sunday morning. The Islamic State (IS) in Libya has claimed responsibility for the attack, naming the bomber as Abu Wahib Al-Tunsi, a nom de guerre signifying only that he was Tunisian. The location of the attack suggests that the bomber came from west of the city, which would mean that IS has operational cells between Tripoli and Misrata. It is the second IS suicide attack on a Misrata checkpoint in ten days.
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
