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
A big week in Libya and a step closer to the much needed new Government of National Accord. We are now nearing the end of Ramadan and the Eid holiday which starts on the 17th July. The security situation in Tripoli has been good this last week with no incidents of note to report.
All the delegates attending the UN-brokered negotiations in Skhirat, Morocco have gone ahead and initialed the Draft peace deal to set up a Government of National Accord, but without the participation of the team from the General National Congress who are effectively now boycotting proceedings because of objections to parts of the text. A number of mayors including those of Misrata, Central Tripoli, Sebha and Zliten, as well as party political figures such as Mohamed Sawan, the leader of the Justice and Construction Party, and Hafez Ghaddour Hafez (the former Libyan ambassador in Rome) for the National Forces Alliance also signed as witnesses to the initialing. Initialing the agreement allows the delegates to move on to choosing a prime minister and deputy prime minister who will then select ministers for the Government of National Accord. Once this is done and a number of other issues that will go into annexes to the Draft are agreed, it will be sent to the House of Representatives for approval and then signed into effect.
Despite the opposition of the General National Congress and militias in Tripoli to the draft agreement initialed in Skhirat last night by most of the delegates to the UN-brokered Libya Dialogue, it has been widely welcomed in the capital. A survey of Tripoli residents showed unanimous support for it, although some also expressed scepticism as to whether it would prove effective.
The Libyan League of Ulema (LLU) has thrown its weight behind calls for the release of all illegally held prisoners in Libya before the Eid Al-Fitr holiday following the end of Ramadan. At the Dialogue Draft initialing ceremony in Skhirat, UN Special Envoy Bernardino Leon called on all parties to release any detained prisoners before the end of Ramadan, describing it as “an unequivocal sign that all parties are genuinely committed to achieving reconciliation”.
IS militants issued a statement on Sunday admitting that they had been pushed out of Derna by the Mujahedeen Shura Council, however vowed to return and avenge their fighters that had been killed during the battle and their ousting.
The sporadic fighting that began in Benghazi last Wednesday developed into a major offensive by militants in three districts which claimed the lives of at least 32 army soldiers and injured many more. Heavy fighting broke out in Benghazi’s Leithi district as the army counter attacked positions seized by Ansar Al-Sharia on Wednesday with the army making some good progress against determined resistance, while there are also reports of the sinking of a second vessel bringing weapons and reinforcements to militants
IS have begun demolishing houses of politicians opposing them in Sirte, either by detonating IEDs or by RPG after first looting the homes for valuables and money. One of the wrecked properties in the town’s Swawa district belongs to GNC member Mohamed Abduljaleel Al-Shawesh.
An overcrowded rubber dinghy sank off coast of Libya on Thursday, according to Italian Coast Guard with 12 being killed and 106 rescued. Italian Coast Guard ship Dattilo discovered victim’s corpses 40 miles north of Libya on Thursday and has saved 106 people from the dinghy which was said to be already half submerged.
Tunisia have begun work on a fence, ditch and bank defences along the entire length of the 459km border between the two countries. Revolutionary fighters in Tripoli have angrily denounced the work as a “blatant attack on Libyan sovereignty” and an act of aggression. The Tunisian government which have stated that the work will be completed by the end of the year also insists the barrier is essential to stop the movement of terrorists, as well as smugglers.
We are advising No movement to the western area of Libya in and around Al Aziah and other surrounding areas where fighting is still ongoing between the Zintan (LNA) and Misrata (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 pack-age 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 stabilises and allows for travel.
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.