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2025-05-15 Africa North
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Death of controversial warlord sparks new round of war in Libya
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Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited.
by Leonid Tsukanov
| More Arab Spring stuff, even though it started over a decade ago. We no longer have a category for it, because it’s a chronic condition that will continue until a new Strong Man fights his way to the top. |
[REGNUM] There is unrest in Libya again. A large-scale shootout took place in the capital's Abu Salim district, as a result of which one of the country's major military and political figures, Abdel Ghani al-Kikli, was killed.
| Winnowed out of the competition. Incidentally, the Libya Observer has spelt it al-Kikly. |
Al-Kikli's death not only set opposing forces in motion, but also revealed some unpleasant details of the shadowy political life of modern Libya.
A TROUBLED COUNTRY
Constant shootings and armed clashes are nothing new for modern Libya. Even after the end of the active phase of the civil war, the country is oversaturated with armed elements, whose activity is impossible to control.
The Libyan capital, Tripoli, is suffering the most. Constant clashes have earned it the slang name of "bee city" - a reference to the fact that the city is divided into sectors ("honeycombs"), each of which is secretly controlled by one of the armed groups that inherited the war.
The Libyan authorities try to re-educate yesterday's militias from time to time. Some of them have even been integrated into the structure of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the Ministry of Defense, turning them into "brigades", but such a consensus is usually limited to a formal assignment.
The groups control the shadow business sector - smuggling, illegal migration, drug trafficking, and engage in kidnapping.
Others, however, skillfully combine robbery with big political games, converting shadow influence into public influence.
Among these was one of yesterday’s field commanders, and now the head of the apparatus for supporting stability under the Libyan presidential council, Abdel Ghani al-Kikli.
THE ALMIGHTY "GANIVA"
Al-Kikli, known by the nickname Ghaniwa, had an extremely controversial reputation among his fellow citizens. A man with a criminal past, he managed to build a career during the civil war and put together a small personal army,
| …known as the Central Security Brigade, a.k.a. the Ghaniwa Brigade, organizationally under the Interior Ministry in Tripoli of the Government of National Unity. The GNU is the one approved by the UN and supported by Turkey that controls little beyond a few square blocks of downtown Tripoli, not the one where Khalifa Haftar rules the eastern part of the country. |
eventually achieving the status of one of the most influential security officials in the coastal part of the country.
Not the least important role in al-Kikli's rise was played by his entry into the inner circle of the current Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Dbeibah. Ghaniva enjoyed his patronage, which allowed him to promote his own creature to various ministries and departments, keep financial flows under control, and even influence the central bank's rate.
In addition, al-Kikli did the current authorities a great service by drawing under his wing most of the youth gangs of northwestern Libya, who, after the end of the fighting, were looking for a permanent strong leader.
This later helped Dbeibeh in 2022 to thwart former Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha's plans to carry out a "bloodless coup" (with the support of paramilitary youth) and retain power in his own hands.
Ghaniva managed to strengthen his personal army with new recruits, turning it into a formidable argument in the division of spheres of influence in post-war Libya.
UNSTABLE ALLY
However, over time, Dbeibah considered his former ally too unstable and began to distance himself from him more and more. Moreover, in pursuit of profit, Ghaniva increasingly came into conflict with officials in his office and commanders of other groups.
He sabotaged the reform of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and even, according to some reports, “threatened to turn weapons” against his former partner, threatening him with the fate of Muammar Gaddafi.
It is noteworthy that shortly before the high-profile murder, one of the major local newspapers, controlled by Dbeibah loyalists, published a devastating article dedicated to al-Kikli.
It reported that Ganiva aimed to gain control over the country's oil sector, and in the future, to take the prime minister's seat. And for these purposes, he intends to "sow discord" in the ranks of the militias stationed in Tripoli.
It is difficult to judge whether the deceased al-Kikli actually had such aspirations. It is also difficult to say whether Dbeibah's agents were involved in the case. Although the command of the 444th Brigade, at whose headquarters the murder took place, is part of the prime minister's "personal army", he clearly did not give a direct order.
The attack was more likely a revenge attack on al-Kikli by the commanders of a rival brigade, which Ghaniva had tried to disperse several times, but to no avail.
Now, with his death and the subsequent flight from the capital of his two closest associates, it is unlikely that his personal army will be restored to its former glory. The assets left without a master will go to other, more accommodating groups.
DOMINO EFFECT
Although the unrest in Tripoli was relatively quickly suppressed by the army and police, and the situation, according to local officials, was “returned to a peaceful course,” the negative momentum managed to spread beyond the capital.
Numerous militias considered the unrest that had begun as a signal for a new redistribution of spheres of influence.
Among other places, the clashes affected the city of Tajura, east of the capital, where during intense fighting between loyalists of different groups near the Al-Judaydah prison, part of the protective structures were destroyed and prisoners fled.
The incident is interesting because a significant portion of the prison's "residents" were convicted of serious crimes, including working for terrorist organizations. Some field commanders who lost the "backroom war" with the Libyan government were also held there.
The situation is made even more piquant by the fact that law enforcement officials cannot yet determine exactly how many prisoners have left prison and who should be caught first - after the start of the civil war in the country, "prisoner lists" were kept unsystematically, and the casemates often contained more people than were listed on paper.
Against the backdrop of unrest in the capital, representatives of the alternative center of power, the Libyan House of Representatives, which controls the east of the country, have predictably come into motion.
Columns of armored vehicles of the Libyan National Army (LNA), controlled by the House, left Benghazi and moved towards Tripoli. According to Libyan publications, by May 14, the LNA's advance forces reached the city of Sirte, which is 450 km from the capital.
However, commanders from the east are in no hurry to proclaim a new “liberation campaign” on Tripoli, fearing to repeat the mistakes of 2019. Then, the arrogance of the LNA command led to the offensive on the capital stalling, and after the entry of the Turkish contingent into the country, it failed.
This time, Tripoli's opponents will prefer to wait until it exhausts itself in endless strife and skirmishes and can no longer offer serious resistance to the fresh forces of the LNA.
| How it was reported locally by the Libya Observer: |
GNU forces seize Tripoli stronghold after deadly clashes
The Government of National Unity (GNU) says it has taken full control of Abu Salim, a key district in the capital Tripoli
...a confusing city, one end of which is located in Lebanon and the other end of which is the capital of Libya. Its chief distinction is being mentioned in the Marine Hymn...
, following a military operation launched amid fierce festivities with gangs. Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah announced late Monday that the operation had "ended successfully," praising security forces for what he called a "major achievement" in restoring order and asserting state authority.
Writing on social media, Dbeibah commended the Ministries of Defence and Interior, as well as the army and police, saying: "This is a decisive step toward ending irregular gangs and reinforcing the principle that there is no place in Libya except for state institutions and the rule of law." The Ministry of Defence later confirmed the end of operations, saying a long-term plan to stabilise the area would now be implemented.
Abu Salim is a stronghold of the Stability Support Apparatus, a powerful militia led by Abdul Ghani al-Kikli — widely known as "Ghnewa." Fighting erupted after reports circulated claiming Ghnewa had been killed, although the circumstances remain unclear. Armed festivities spread rapidly across parts of the capital, forcing the closure of roads and businesses and sparking panic among residents.
On Tuesday, the Emergency Medicine and Support Centre confirmed the recovery of six bodies from areas surrounding Abu Salim after the fighting subsided.
The United Nations
...where theory meets practice and practice loses...
Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) expressed "grave concern" over the escalating violence, particularly the use of heavy weapons in densely populated civilian areas. It called on all parties to exercise restraint and protect civilians. Local emergency services declared a state of alert and urged residents near conflict zones to remain indoors.
The GNU’s Interior Ministry said it was "closely monitoring" developments and working to restore calm in Tripoli’s southern and western suburbs. Social media footage appeared to show government-aligned forces capturing key buildings formerly occupied by the Stability Support Apparatus and the affiliated Internal Security Agency.
GNU's Ministry of Defense declares truce and ceasefire in Tripoli
[LibyaObserver] The Ministry of Defense of the Government of National Unity (GNU) has announced the beginning of a ceasefire implementation across all conflict areas within the capital, Tripoli.
The Ministry clarified that what it described as regular forces, in coordination with the relevant security agencies, have begun taking the necessary steps to ensure deescalation, including deploying neutral units at several flashpoints.
The Ministry called on all parties to fully adhere to the ceasefire and refrain from provocative statements or any field movements that could reignite tensions.
The statement emphasized that their response to recent developments was part of their national duty, aimed at maintaining public order and preventing any exploitation of the situation to pursue agendas that conflict with the path of the state and its legitimate institutions.
The Ministry also stressed that unity, the reinforcement of the rule of law, and the dismantling of random armed manifestations remain top priorities, and that no reality will be allowed to be imposed by force of arms or outside official frameworks.
The capital Tripoli witnessed a dangerous security escalation on Tuesday night and early Wednesday, marked by intense armed clashes in the city center. This prompted the declaration of a state of emergency, the suspension of classes and exams, and the rerouting of flights from Mitiga Airport to Misrata Airport.
Several neighborhoods across the city—from east to west and south—experienced heavy armed clashes involving medium and heavy weaponry, causing panic among residents in densely populated areas.
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Posted by badanov 2025-05-15 00:00||
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