This week on the political front has seen the head of the Presidential Council, Fayez Seraj, meet with the Central Bank of Libya (CBL) and order them to give the Government 300 Million Libyan Dinar to relieve some tension off Libya’s struggling economy. The Libyan Government’s order outlines that the money is to be taken from emergency funds and is to be utilised to cover the cost of imported food and basic necessities to support the Libyan market.
The United Nations (UN) envoy to Libya ‘’ Martin Kobler’’ met with members of the Libyan Dialogue Committee this week to discuss the way forward with the implementation of the Libyan Political Agreement. Later it was reported that Martin Kobler had tweeted that ‘’he had met with the chairman of the state council and discussed how the UN and the International Community could support the Libyan people’’.
Five Ambassadors from the European Union were accredited by the Government of National Accords (GNA) Prime Minister Fayez Seraj at the Red Castle (Saraya Al – Hamra). The Ambassadors were from the UK, France, Germany, and the Netherlands – Bettina Muscheidt, Peter Millett, Brigitte Curmi, Christian Buck, and Eric Strating successively. Two weeks ago, saw a similar event when the GNA received credentials of Yemeni, Canadian and Austrian Ambassadors. The new Ambassadors said that they were here to pave the way forward for the imminent opening of their respective Embassy in Tripoli.
In the east, this week, the fight for the liberation of Sirte has continued. It has now been six months since the forces of Al Bunyan Marsous (BAM) began the offensive against Daesh in the areas around Sirte and now within Sirte itself. Few remnants of Daesh remain in the city and are holed up in the Marine Giza district. Fighting stepped up and reports that over thirty Daesh fighters had been killed, some wearing suicide vests, in a period of forty-eight hours. United States AFRICOM said in a statement ‘’The US stands with the International Community and the GNA as it strives to restore stability in Libya’’.
Activists within the capital have been demonstrating in Tripoli’s Algeria Square over deteriorating living conditions, inflation and the lack of money. Leaflets were handed out to passersby calling on them to start an indefinite campaign of civil disturbance, including strikes.
Four bodies of the same family were found killed in the coastal are of Al Khoms. 120km west of Tripoli, on Saturday. Unconfirmed reports stated that a Daesh cell may have been responsible for the killings, however other unconfirmed reports indicate that a family member had carried out the attack on his return from fighting with the Al Bunyan Marsous Forces in Sirte, the thought being that he had turned extremist during the experiences he had fighting on the frontline.
Whilst in the west this week has seen Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the Commander of the Libyan Armed Forces, travel to Moscow were he had talks with regards to support and training with Russia’s Defence Minister, Sergey Shoigu and the Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. In an interview, last week on a French news channel, Field Marshal Haftar called upon the International community to end the arms embargo saying it was holding back Libya in the fight against the so called Islamic State.
Sabha in the southern area of Libya Sabha has been plunged into violent clashes between Awlad Suleiman and Qadhadhfa tribes since last Thursday, leading to a number of deaths and injuries due to the haphazard shelling inside residential areas. Social efforts by a committee of southern notables and elders managed to bring the two warring tribes together on Tuesday in signing a ceasefire for three days, starting 11.00hrs on Wednesday. However renewed clashes were reported to have broken out, once again, between the Suleiman and Qadhadhfa tribes on Thursday.
Janus Global Operations 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
Janus Global Operations 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 jason.woods@janusgo.com. 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
Janus Global Operations 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 jason.woods@janusgo.com
For further information on all our services and for actual support on the ground in Libya please feel free to contact us 24/7 on +218 911713972 or +971 508764175 or visit our website www.janusgo.com
