SNE continues to keep our permanent expat country management team on the ground in Tripoli supporting our clients international and local personnel as well as critical infrastructure. We are also currently involved in working with many of our clients on their re-entry planning, security risk management surveys and political sector analysis. To discuss these services further please contact us on the details below.
Libya Security Report Subscription Service
SNE Libya Security Summaries are only supplied to existing Libya clients and those who subscribe to our weekly reporting service. For further information on how to subscribe and our monthly costs, please contact our Dubai management team at office@snegroup.co.uk The attached Libya security update has been produced by our Tripoli based in-country management team and covers the various security risks, recent incidents, political landscape and geography in both the west and east of Libya.
HEAT & Basic Life Support Two Day Training Courses
SNE are now offering bespoke Libya oriented or generic MENA Hostile Environment Awareness & Basic Life Support Medical Training Courses in Dubai or your home country prior to deploying back into Libya, or in country training for those who require this service in Tripoli. Please contact our Dubai Head Office for more information on these courses at specialprojects@snegroup.co.uk
Late last night, UNSMIL head Bernardino Leon announced an agreement had been reached and just five names remained to be decided for the presidency council and that he still hoped for a 20th October start date. An extract from Leon’s statement is available later in this report.
The UK Ambassador to Libya, Peter Millett withdrew a claim made that the LNA are targeting civilians in Benghazi in airstrikes in the run up to Eid, he claimed it was based on reports not facts. The joint statement was made by Embassies of EU, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, Spain, UK, USA, Turkey and Morocco and is sure to upset relationships between Libya and the Western nations listed.
The GNC building was stormed by a Tripoli based Militia on the eve of UNSMIL talks, the delegates were chairing a late night debate when it was taken over and feelings regarding the talks were raised at gunpoint, although no one was hurt, in another show of Militia gun rule in Libya.
Daesh (IS) launched an assault on a detention facility within the grounds of Matiga airport, Libya Dawn defenders killed six suicide vest wearing attackers and prevented a breach of the prison and a possible escape. Remarkably apart from a small delay the airport continued to function as normal. Western observers note that Daesh are still very much present in Tripoli and with the capability to mount large scale attacks. There are at least eight Daesh prisoners held in the Matiga facility arrested following the January attack on the Corinthia Hotel in which nine international personnel were killed.
The Western Coastal road from Tripoli to Ras Jdir remains open after a major Libya Dawn operation to arrest the criminal gangs who had been operating with impunity for months along the route, setting up false checkpoints and stealing high value vehicles and often shooting those who resisted.
A Kidnapped Indian National was freed in Sirte, it is not known the fate of a colleague still held by Daesh.
In Ajdabiya a leading figure within the civil society organisations was allegedly shot thirty times and killed in his car outside his home, it is not clear if he was directly targeted but the city has become increasingly dangerous for any kind of free speech for some time now.
LNA launched a new military Operation in Benghazi as the HoR rejected UNSMIL suggestions that they are undermining the peace process and says the army is “fighting terrorists in Benghazi “ General Hefter announced that Operation Doom was launched to finally liberate Benghazi using combined airstrikes and ground forces within the city. Airstrikes on the three remaining Islamist strongholds of Laithi, Sabri and Gwarsha as part of Operation Doom paved the way for intense street fighting as the LNA’s new Special Forces fought to regain control, casualty figures are not known. SNE Sources in Benghazi say there is large public support for Hefters initiative.
Some 30 people have been killed and at least a dozen injured in fierce fighting between armed groups in Kufra over the last 48 hours. According to the town council’s spokesman, Mohammad Khalil, armed men in 20 vehicles tried to storm the town in an assault from the north. Khalil said that local people tried to drive them back, destroying some of attackers’ trucks. However a local petrol station was damaged during the fighting.
The Migrant crisis is still ongoing and with such porous borders there is no reason to believe it will stop for the foreseeable future, hundreds are caught and detained, yet hundreds more make the perilous journey across the sea to Europe.