Latest from Libya Herald
Libya Herald
a day ago
- Politics
- Libya Herald
187 new security posts taken over from militias – PM declares victory for the state as all vital Tripoli sites come under its exclusive control for the first time since 2011
Tripoli based Libyan Prime Minister, Abdel Hamid Aldabaiba hailed that what has been achieved by enabling the Ministry of Interior to secure the capital Tripoli on its own is a real victory for the state, which has not happened since 2011. He stressed that this achievement would not have been possible without the elimination of the largest outlaw groups (militias), and everyone's compliance with the state's procedures and its project to establish a sovereign state. Tripoli's new Security Arrangements Plan Aldabaiba was speaking on Wednesday while chairing an expanded security meeting in Tripoli to follow up on the implementation of the new Security Arrangements Plan in the capital, in the presence of Acting Interior Minister Emad Trabelsi, Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior for Security Affairs Mahmoud Saeed, Tripoli Security Director Khalil Ohiba, and a number of security leaders. The new Security Arrangements Plan for Tripoli entails Ministry of Interior or Ministry of Defence forces taking over the securing of key government ministries and sites such as the Central Bank of Libya, the Audit Bureau and all the ministries, from militias. In the longer term it entails pushing all militias to the outer perimeter of Tripoli to protect civilians (and their property) from being caught in the crossfire of possible state v militia or militia v militia clashes. Successive governments since the 2011 revolution (that ended the 42-year Qaddafi regime) have attempted to impose their will on the militias by taking over this task but have been too weak or unsuccessful. No room for revolutionary warlords and leaders in regular forces Aldabaiba said: 'The era of Sheikh and Hajj (tribal and holy leaders) in our security and military services is over, and there is no place in the (security) ranks except for those who are qualified, disciplined, subject to authority, and servants of the law alone.' Aldabaiba here was sending a message to militias such as those led by a popular or warlord leader and to the powerful Abdelrauf Kara, the head of the Special Deterrence Force (SDF / RADA), who considers himself and is considered by his devout followers a Salafi religious leader. Kara controls Mitiga prison where he is accused by the international community of permitting human rights abuses. His presence on Mitiga airport is also a latent threat to the airport itself. A new maturity of the Interior Ministry in dealing with demonstrations? Continuing, Aldabaiba added that the demonstrations that took place in the capital during the past period passed without any attack, harassment, arrest or prosecution, which reflects the maturity of the Ministry of Interior and its deep respect for public freedoms and citizens' natural rights to peaceful expression. Police, Defence Ministry and Internal Security coordination For his part, Interior Minister-designate Emad Trabelsi reviewed the new security arrangements plan, stressing that the ministry is working according to a clear vision to extend security, enhance the deployment of police stations, and ensure effective coordination with the Ministry of Defence and the Internal Security Agency. Trabelsi stressed their commitment to implementing the Security Plan in accordance with the instructions issued by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, and to ensure the protection of citizens and state institutions. 187 new security posts secured from militias Tripoli Security Director Major General Khalil Ohiba also confirmed that the field plan included 187 new security posts, implemented in the sites previously occupied by armed formations (militias). He said that the redeployment was carried out in a deliberate manner to secure the capital's locations, end any security vacuum, and fully extend the authority of the state. Plan needs continued government and public support The attendees at the meeting stressed that the success of the Security Plan depends on the continuation of political and administrative support for the security authorities, and strengthening citizens' confidence in their regular institutions. . The Interior Ministry had spent LD 50 billion in 13 years with no result: Acting Interior Minister Trabelsi Nearly 1 million crimes reported to police stations – confirms urgent need to dissolve all parallel security agencies / militias
Libya Herald
3 days ago
- Politics
- Libya Herald
The Interior Ministry had spent LD 50 billion in 13 years with no result: Acting Interior Minister Trabelsi
Speaking on Sunday during a seminar held by his Tripoli based Ministry of Interior entitled 'Security Performance Assessment and New Arrangements for a Secure Capital', Acting Interior Minister Emad Trabelsi said the Ministry had spent 50 billion dinars over 13 years, and the result was nothing. In his 45-minute answer to questions from the podium and interjections, Trabelsi warned that if Libya does not come out of this year's security (militia) crises it will be a disaster. At the end of 2025, he said, Libya should be celebrating the real end of years of tribalism, regionalism and militias and should be celebrating the consolidation of state agencies. If all current security agencies (state recognised but unaccountable militias) affiliated with the Minister of Interior, the Presidential Council, and the Prime Minister's Cabinet are not dissolved, he cautioned, Libya will return to square one in a few months. He further added that if the Security Committee created in 2011 is not disbanded, ''we will be back to square one'' in terms security reform. He said that committee was created during the period of a security void when there were no regular state security forces. Tripoli government to dissolve all militias The Tripoli government, he reconfirmed, has taken it upon itself to dissolve all armed formations and support the military and security institutions, and citizens must support this approach, he stressed. Militia reintegration into the police and army All security agencies must be dissolved and their members absorbed within the Ministry of Interior, confirming that he had submitted a proposal to the Prime Minister in this regard. He stressed the state must have control over prisons. Dominance of militias over state institutions He acknowledged the government's inability to maintain security and acknowledged the dominance of armed groups over state institutions. Militias stronger than police We have been unable to arrest more than 40,000 wanted individuals over the past three years because they belong to armed groups (militias) that are superior to the security services in armament and equipment. This, he admitted was at a time when police officers do not even possess personal weapons to defend themselves, When we try to arrest them, he bemoaned, we find they are members of heavily armed militias – armed more than the police. We have little arms in comparison, he admitted. Militias had pressured government sectors to allocate budgets to parallel security agencies and not to the police. Militias used to influence government decisions. Now the Ministry of Interior is getting support from the government. We hope it is real, clear support, he said. Trabelsi complained that militias have armoured vehicles while the police have ordinary cars. They picked the most qualified police members and reassigned them to their militias. Yet people complain that we are not doing a good job – without support, funding and our best qualified personnel, he exclaimed. We had not received the required financial support for the Ministry of Interior, and the ministry only provides food supplies to the Tripoli Security Directorate, the Tripoli Periphery, and the (Western / Nefusa) Mountain. We do not have the capacity to fund the remaining Directorates, ''even with a bottle of water'', he revealed. He acknowledged the government's inability to maintain security and admitted that armed groups had controlled state institutions in Tripoli in 2023 and 2024. He admitted militias secure all the top state agencies such as the Central Bank of Libya, the Ministry of Finance, the Audit Bureau, and influenced government decisions. These militias are loyal or aligned to political streams, cities, tribes etc – not the state. Division of power Those freed by the Public Prosecution after investigation (for lack of evidence, for example), are not our responsibility once freed, he stressed, noting the different roles the police, the Public Prosecution and the Courts play. The Police cannot carryout all roles, he said. Anti-drug smuggling effort He said Libya has become a real conduit for drug smuggling. He revealed that Libya is ''contracting with one of the largest international companies'' (without naming it) to secure all air, land, and ports in Libya to eradicate drug smuggling. ''Why are current security personnel wearing ranks and receiving salaries when they can't even secure the country's ports'', he lamented. Need US$ 5 billion – There is nothing without security He requested US$ 5 billion from the Ministry of Finance to invest in security, saying, 'The best investment is in security, even better than reconstruction.' There can be no health, education, development, construction. There is nothing without security, he stressed. Future support only to regular security forces He linked support for the Western Region's Security (police) Directorates to their unity, saying, 'Support is given to the Directorates, not to the armed groups.' He also revealed the sale of official security vehicles after they were repainted, and the seizure of offices and public funds allocated for security. We give militias cars and money and offices. They repaint the cars and sell them. There will be no more money to militias. Only to Security Directorates, he warned. The Security Plan – dissolving militias Referring to the spate of Tripoli militia versus regular security forces clashes in May and June, he said these are not a (militia) struggle for control, but rather a security plan that will be extended to other cities. Its success requires dissolving the security services and reorganizing them according to the Security Plan. There is real action by the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Defence (Zubi), he said. He said in the absence of the state, the militias filled the security void. There had been no choice in the past years but to use militias to impose security, but now, the regular police cannot work with parallel security agencies (militias), he stressed. Reached out to Kara and Ghnewa to demobilise and reintegrate Trabelsi revealed that he had spoken with all the heads of military formations (militias), including Abdel Raouf Kara (the head of the Special Deterrence Force (SDF/Rada) and (the recently killed in opaque circumstances) Abdelghani Ghnewa Al-Kikly, (former head of Stability Support Agency SSA). He said they had spoken more than once (at Abdul Hakim Al Sheikh's house) to work together to build a police force and enforce the rule of law and the state. He said he had offered to reintegrate them by offering them leadership of any existing regular police force (implying they had not taken up his offer). 60 percent of Tripoli militias demobilised While another speaker at the seminar stated in Trabelsi's presence that 60 percent of Tripoli militias had been demobilised and reintegrated, Trabelsi interjected a piece of honest caution, saying that his previous experience of militia agreements to reintegrate was not good. He said they would agree and then renege on their agreement. Army Trabelsi said there is no army in the capital, Tripoli, to apprehend criminals, and that he will undertake real action in cooperation with the armed forces. Focus on security in Tripoli The Security Plan will focus on the capital, which has a population of 3 million. If the security problems there are resolved, they will be resolved throughout Libya. Tripoli has a mixed population, and it is more complicated to solve the security problem here, he explained. Fuel smuggling Libya used to suffer from the total control of militias affiliated with political parties, tribal leaders and elders, who in the absence of the state, controlled the state institutions. Government officials and elders and leaders from the tribes of the West Coast are behind fuel smuggling operations, and their daily revenues reach more than 2 million euros, he claimed. More than 2 million litres of petrol were smuggled daily, in addition to the smuggled quantities of diesel. Of course they are going to resist anti-fuel smuggling efforts, he exclaimed. Anti-fuel smuggling Security Room Trabelsi said a Joint Security Room is going to be created to monitor petrol trucks going to petrol stations using tracking and cameras to distribute fuel. Today, fuel is available at petrol stations in the smuggling areas of Western Tripoli (west and southwest of Tripoli) as part of the Ministry of Interior's Security Plan. Call for public support Trabelsi called on the public to support regular regional security institutions, not political or personal support. Support the police, he pleaded. When the people support the police, we can operate. But when the tribes and regions work against the police, the police cannot operate. Accountability Commenting on his own financial transparency and accountability, Trabelsi said Libyans are free to pray to God and curse him if it transpires that he has stollen ''a quarter of a dinar'' from their public money. I bear full responsibility for the mistakes of my brother Abdalla and the transgressions of the General Security Service, which his brother heads. . Nearly 1 million crimes reported to police stations – confirms urgent need to dissolve all parallel security agencies / militias Continue Reading Tags: Emad Trabelsiminister of interiorMinistry of Interior
Libya Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Libya Herald
Libyan Advisory Committee calls on Libyan stakeholders to work with UNSMIL to build unified, sovereign, and democratic Libya
The UNSMIL created Libyan Advisory Committee has called upon all Libyan stakeholders to work in good faith with UNSMIL to build a unified, sovereign, and democratic Libya. This came after the Committee submitted its final report to UNSMIL on 5 May 2025. UNSMIL is now sharing the options they presented with political actors, the wider spectrum of Libyan society, and regional and international actors for feedback. This feedback will inform the next steps of the UNSMIL-facilitated political process. Why was the Advisory Committee established? It will be recalled that the Committee was established against a backdrop of deepening political division, institutional fragility, deteriorating economic conditions and rising public dissatisfaction with the status quo. Libya's political stalemate is a threat to Libya's national unity and territorial integrity. The absence of legitimate permanent governance structures threatens the legitimacy of all institutions and their credibility. Public frustration is growing, with 2.8 million registered voters still awaiting elections. Political paralysis, resulting in dual government spending and a lack of transparency, accountability and oversight, is destabilizing Libya's economy. The focus of the Advisory Committee The Committee assessed the constitutional and legal framework underpinning Libya's electoral process, including the existing legal framework provided in Constitutional Amendment 13 and Laws 27 and 28 (2023). It sought to identify legal ambiguities, structural deficiencies, and political obstacles to holding national elections. Consultations included discussion with the 6+6 Committee and the High National Elections Commission (HNEC), as well as a review of national and international legal instruments. Key problems and proposed options The Committee identified and proposed options to address key contentious issues in the current electoral framework. 1. Linking parliamentary and presidential elections Problem: The law says parliamentary elections are only valid if presidential elections succeed. Solution: Delink the outcomes and remove the dependency of parliamentary elections on presidential elections. 2. Holding both elections at the same time Problem: Having both elections on one day raises political and logistical issues. Solution: Organize sequential presidential and parliamentary elections within a well-defined time frame. 3. Eligibility criteria All candidates with dual nationality must disclose their status. If they win, after the preliminary count and after exhausting the appeals period, they must provide evidence of starting the process to relinquish the second nationality. If the winning candidate fails to do so, a new presidential election will be called, the results of the parliamentary elections will be announced, and the head of the Senate will temporarily assure the president's prerogatives. If a presidential candidate is under investigation for a crime, they cannot be excluded unless there is a final verdict. Allow military personnel and senior government officials to participate as candidates under conditions regulated by law. 4. Second round requirement Problem: Even if someone wins a majority in the first round of presidential elections, in the current law, a second round of voting is still required. Solution: If a candidate wins more than 50 percent in the first round of voting, a second round isn't necessary for presidential elections. Additional recommendations Increase women's representation to 30 percent in both the Senate and the House of Representatives. Ensure fair and proportional representation of cultural groups with at least 15 percent in the Senate. Require national ID numbers for voter registration to safeguard electoral integrity. Reconstitute the High National Elections Commission. Establish robust security protocols to ensure safe and inclusive elections. Improve electoral dispute resolution mechanisms to reduce space for contestation. Roadmap options The Committee presented four potential roadmaps toward ending the transitional period and holding elections. Presidential and legislative elections are to be conducted within two years, commencing once a political settlement is reached on the legal status and financial independence of HNEC, the necessary amendments to the constitutional and legal framework for elections, and a unified government. The political settlement should include provisions for adopting a permanent constitution for the country. A bicameral legislative council will be elected within two years, with the drafting and ratification of the constitution entrusted to the Senate. The new constitution will regulate all subsequent presidential and parliamentary elections. Adopt a constitution, prior to elections. This option involves examining the challenges associated with the 2017 draft constitution and exploring the feasibility of drafting a new constitution. Activate the dialogue mechanism and replace existing institutional stakeholders with a constituent assembly through LPA Article 64 dialogue process. Before any option can be adopted, the Committee recommended that a political settlement be reached among key actors to establish a conducive environment for elections, including: Reconstituting the HNEC board; Granting HNEC financial independence; Enacting a new amendment to the Constitutional Declaration; Amending electoral laws to ensure their implementability; and Reaching an agreement on a new executive authority with a defined mandate and timeframe. Guarantees and oversight mechanisms To ensure a credible process, the Committee recommended the following: Political recognition of the new government. A timebound mandate with a mechanism to assess the government's performance, allowing for its dismissal if it fails to prepare adequately for the elections. Restrictions on long-term financial or political commitments by the interim government. A national code of ethics for political conduct during elections. An independent national body to monitor the electoral process. A national arbitration mechanism for resolving disputes. Call for action In conclusion, the Advisory Committee affirmed that legislative reform alone will not secure a successful transition. Rather, a comprehensive political settlement is essential, underpinned by national consensus and inclusivity. The Committee called upon all Libyan stakeholders to work in good faith with UNSMIL to build a unified, sovereign, and democratic Libya. Tags: UNSMIL Advisory Committee Feb 2025
Libya Herald
4 days ago
- Politics
- Libya Herald
Nearly 1 million crimes reported to police stations – confirms urgent need to dissolve all parallel security agencies / militias
The reporting of 961,000 crimes to police stations across Libya since the 2011 revolution that ended the Qaddafi regime to the end of 2024 confirms the urgent need to dissolve all parallel security agencies (militias) and accommodate their employees within the structure of the Ministry of Interior. The assessment was made yesterday during a seminar held by the Tripoli based Ministry of Interior entitled 'Security Performance Assessment and New Arrangements for a Secure Capital'. The seminar was attended and participated in by Acting Interior Minister Emad Trabelsi. The Ministry said the seminar comes within the framework of reviewing the security efforts made by the Ministry of Interior through its specialized components in combating crime, and strengthening cooperation with the Public Prosecution. The seminar reviewed the security efforts made and the cases recorded during the first quarter of 2025, through a comprehensive statistical analysis of crime rates, and compared them with the years 2023, 2024 and 2025. Urgent need to dissolve all parallel security agencies During the seminar, reference was made to the work of the committee that was previously formed to inventory all the reports recorded in police stations since 2011, where the number of criminal reports reached more than 961,000 reports until the end of 2024, which confirms the urgent need to dissolve all parallel security agencies, and accommodate their employees within the structure of the Ministry of Interior, in coordination with and support the Tripoli based Libyan government. More than two million litres of petrol, in addition to large quantities of diesel smuggled daily In another context, the security arrangements implemented within the Ministry of Interior's plan to combat smuggling were discussed, as the security services were able to reduce fuel smuggling, after they smuggled more than two million litres of petrol daily, in addition to large quantities of diesel. The seminar also stressed the continuation of supporting the Security Directorates with the necessary equipment, vehicles, and equipment, and the next phase will include the directorates of: Al-Khoms, Masalata, Al-Qarabolli, Bani Walid, Misrata, Zliten, and Tajoura. Trabelsi called on all Libyans to stand by their sons in the police institution, and to support them, as they are keen to protect Libya from crime and chaos, away from regionalism, tribalism or regionalism. The police are there, he added, but they need the support of the citizens so that they can fulfil their duty to provide real security and secure presidential and parliamentary elections, as they have previously succeeded in securing municipal council elections. Without security, we cannot establish any economic, social or political renaissance, he concluded. Continue Reading
Libya Herald
5 days ago
- Business
- Libya Herald
Libya Energy Conference, London, 2 July
The Libyan British Business Council (LBBC) informed Libya Herald that it will be hosting the Libya Energy Conference which will be held in London on 2 July. Held in partnership with National Oil Corporation (NOC) and Murzuq Oil Services Limited (MOSL), this high-level event will bring together senior leaders from Libya's energy institutions and the international business community for a day of strategic dialogue and insight to explore the latest developments, investment opportunities, and strategic partnerships. The conference will open with a keynote address by Libya's Minister of Oil and Gas. The day will feature timely discussions on recent sector developments, investment priorities, and the evolving role of the private sector in advancing Libya's energy goals. The LBBC says the event would be a valuable opportunity to engage directly with Libyan officials and energy executives as the country looks to deepen global partnerships and shape a long-term strategy for its hydrocarbons sector. Tags: energyLBBC Libyan British Business Counciloil and gas
