TRIPOLI: Reemerging bloodshed and power struggles in Libya have raised fears of a broader escalation, threatening to deal a fatal blow to the UN-brokered political transition and push the war-torn country deeper into turmoil.
The vast North African country of 6.8 million people has struggled to recover from years of conflict after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that overthrew longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi.
Libya remains divided between a UN-recognized government based in the capital Tripoli and a rival administration in the east, backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar.
Although relative calm has returned in recent years, clashes still periodically break out between Libya’s myriad armed groups.
Earlier this month, nine people were killed and dozens wounded in fighting east of Tripoli between two groups, both affiliated with the UN-recognized government of Abdulhamid Dbeibah.
On Sunday, a group of men, some of them armed, briefly besieged the Central Bank of Libya headquarters in the capital, local media reported, in what they said was an attempt to force the resignation of its governor, Seddik Al-Kabir.
US ambassador Richard Norland said attempts to oust Kabir were “unacceptable,” warning that replacing him “by force can result in Libya losing access to international financial markets.”
In office since 2012, Kabir has faced criticism over the management of oil resources and the state budget, including from figures close to Dbeibah.
Norland, in a post on social media platform X, said the confrontation in Tripoli “highlights the ongoing risks posed by the political stalemate in Libya.”
And recent moves by the eastern parliament have signalled that “certain parties aim to pressure the international community into reaching a new agreement” on the country’s governance, said Khaled Al-Montasser, a professor of international relations at the University of Tripoli.
The parliament in the eastern city of Tobruk said on Tuesday that the government in Tripoli was “illegitimate,” also moving to strip the Presidential Council — formed under the 2021 UN transition agreement — from its role as high commander of the Libyan armed forces.
Haftar and his sons who hold key posts in the eastern administration have similarly questioned the legitimacy of the UN-recognized government.
Montasser told AFP that Tuesday’s decision was a “message directed at the international community rather than the Libyan people” to force new negotiations.
The 2021 agreement, he added, was a “complete political failure caused by all involved parties, both Libyan and foreign.”
The Tripoli-based government said the moves by parliament “did not change the reality at all” and were motivated by the eastern administration’s wish to extend its power “for the longest possible period.”
Between April 2019 and June 2020, forces aligned with Haftar attempted to seize Tripoli but failed after bloody battles.
Following a ceasefire, the UN-brokered agreement signed in Geneva sought to establish interim institutions as parliamentary and presidential elections were planned.
Initially scheduled for December 2021, the vote has been postponed indefinitely over disagreements on its legal framework.
Tensions have recently been compounded by fears of renewed fighting, after media reports and analysts said troops from the east were moving toward southwestern Libya, a region under the Tripoli government’s control, prompting international alarm.
The army led by Saddam Haftar, the marshal’s youngest son, said it was only aiming to “secure the country’s southern borders and enhance stability” in areas it already controls.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya said it was following “with concern” moves that “increase tension, undermine trust and further entrench institutional divisions and discord among Libyans.”
Libyan political analyst Abdallah Al-Rayes said the reported military advance was “a trial balloon to gauge international reactions and the military preparedness” of the Tripoli-based authorities.
“If dialogue and political mediation fail, the military option will once again target Tripoli, and it will be an open war.”
Libya UN-brokered deal at risk as escalation fears mount
https://arab.news/rx8yc
Libya UN-brokered deal at risk as escalation fears mount
- Libya remains divided between a UN-recognized government based in the capital Tripoli and a rival administration in the east, backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar
- US ambassador Richard Norland said attempts to oust Kabir were “unacceptable“
’Not much is standing’ in Gaza, says UN official
- “We can’t wait, we can’t procrastinate,” da Silva said, adding that Gazans across the territory were living in an “inhumane situation“
- He said the launch of phase two of the Gaza truce plan marked a “historical” moment
JERUSALEM: A top United Nations official on Thursday called for accelerating reconstruction work in Gaza, saying Palestinians there were living in “inhumane” conditions, even as a US-backed truce entered its second phase.
“I wouldn’t have imagined what I saw today, which is total destruction, not much is standing,” Jorge Moreira da Silva, head of UN Office for Project Services (UNOPS) told journalists after a visit to the Gaza Strip.
“We can’t wait, we can’t procrastinate,” he said, adding that Gazans across the territory were living in an “inhumane situation.”
The two-year war between Hamas and Israeli forces has left Gaza facing destruction on a scale unseen in previous conflicts, with vast swathes reduced to rubble.
Entire residential neighborhoods, hospitals, schools and basic infrastructure have been heavily damaged or destroyed, forcing hundreds of thousands of people to live in makeshift shelters.
Da Silva said the launch of phase two of the Gaza truce plan marked a “historical” moment that should be seized to kick-start reconstruction efforts.
“This opens the opportunities for reconstruction, knowing that we will need $52 billion, according to the assessment conducted by the World Bank, UN and the European Commission, for the reconstruction of Gaza,” he said.
“But the point is we can’t wait for the big reconstruction, which requires billions, to immediately launch the early recovery that requires millions.”
On Wednesday, US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff announced the start of phase two of the Gaza ceasefire, saying it aimed to pave the way for reconstruction and the demilitarization of all armed factions in the territory.
The war was triggered by the Palestinian Islamist group’s unprecedented attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The ensuing Israeli offensive has devastated Gaza, home to about 2.2 million people, a territory that was already suffering severely from previous rounds of fighting and from an Israeli blockade imposed since 2007.
Da Silva said the war had left about 60 million tons of rubble scattered across the strip.
“Gaza is flooded by rubble and debris,” he said.
“The problem is not just the volume of rubble, it’s also the fact that its content is quite a matter of concern, with unexploded ordnance in the rubble, dangerous waste, and unfortunately also human remains.”
The environmental and urban planning specialist said one of the most urgent priorities was ensuring reliable access to fuel — a critical resource in Gaza, where most electricity is generated by fuel-powered generators.
He also cited the need for demining, rebuilding water supply networks, lifting restrictions on the entry of aid, and allowing in spare parts required for repairs — long-standing demands by humanitarian organizations operating in Gaza.
Aid groups have for months complained of difficulties bringing in equipment and supplies, blaming Israeli restrictions.
Israel rejects those accusations, saying it oversees the entry of goods into Gaza to ensure its security.
