UN says ‘alarmed’ by escalating violence in Libya’s Tripoli
UN says ‘alarmed’ by escalating violence in Libya’s Tripoli/node/2600853/middle-east
UN says ‘alarmed’ by escalating violence in Libya’s Tripoli
A member of the 444 Brigade of the Libyan Army, a unit serving the Government of National Unity and PM Abdulhamid Al-Dbeibah, stands guard at Abu Salim area, in Tripoli, May 13, 2025. (Reuters)
UN says ‘alarmed’ by escalating violence in Libya’s Tripoli
IOM called "for an immediate cessation of hostilities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of civilians
The IOM said it was "alarmed by the recent escalation of violence in Tripoli"
Updated 15 May 2025
AFP
GENEVA: The United Nations voiced alarm Thursday at escalating violence in Tripoli, warning of a “severe risk of mass displacement and danger to civilians.”
The UN’s International Organization for Migration (IOM) called “for an immediate cessation of hostilities to ensure the safety and wellbeing of civilians in accordance with International Humanitarian Law.”
Their statement came amid fresh unrest in Libya, which has struggled to recover from the NATO-backed 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime leader Muammar Qaddafi.
The recent escalation of violence in Tripoli, #Libya is alarming.
Together with @UN agencies and partners, we call for an end to the hostilities to ensure the safety and well-being of civilians.
The country remains split between a UN-recognized government in Tripoli, led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east, controlled by the Haftar family.
Fresh gunbattles erupted Wednesday in the Libyan capital between two powerful armed groups, a security official said, a day after the authorities had declared the fighting over.
The IOM said it was “alarmed by the recent escalation of violence in Tripoli.”
It added: “We are also concerned by the mobilization of armed groups in surrounding regions. There is a severe risk of mass displacement and danger to civilians.”
On Tuesday, the Tripoli-based government said the fighting had been controlled and announced a ceasefire, even as shots were still fired in western parts of Tripoli.
“We welcome reports of a ceasefire and urge that it be fully and unconditionally respected to safeguard the rights and dignity of all those in the affected areas,” the IOM said.
“IOM continues working with partners to support humanitarian access to all vulnerable groups, including migrants,” it added.
“We are monitoring possible displacement trends and stand ready to support should needs arise.”
Arab Coalition announces ‘limited’ airstrike targeting two ships that smuggled weapons to Yemen
Coalition urges evacuation of the Port of Mukalla, signaling that a major military operation to force an STC withdrawal could be imminent
Spokesman says the two ships transported weapons from the UAE port of Fujairah to Mukalla without getting permission from Coalition command
Updated 30 December 2025
Arab News
RIYADH: The Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen on Tuesday said it conducted a “limited” airstrike targeting two ships that smuggled weapons and other military hardware into Mukalla in southern Yemen.
In a statement carried by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA), the Coalition Forces spokesman, Major General Turki Al-Maliki, said that two ships coming from the port of Fujairah in the United Arab Emirates entered the Port of Mukalla in Hadramaut without obtaining official permits from the Joint Forces Command of the Coalition.
“The crews of the two ships disabled the tracking systems of the two ships and unloaded a large quantity of weapons and combat vehicles to support the Southern Transitional Council forces in the eastern governorates of Yemen (Hadramawt, Al-Mahra) with the aim of fueling the conflict. This is a clear violation of imposing a truce and reaching a peaceful solution, as well as a violation of UN Security Council Resolution No. (2216) of 2015 AD,” said the spokesman.
The coalition urged civilians and fishermen to evacuate the Port of Mukalla, signaling that a major military operation to force an STC withdrawal could be imminent.
Google map showing the location of Mukalla in southern Yemen
Al-Maliki said the Coalition Forces acted on a request by Rashad Al-Alimi, the president of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, “to take all necessary military measures to protect civilians in the governorates of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra.”
Al-Alimi, the president of the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, warned last week that unilateral actions by the STC were pushing the country toward a dangerous tipping point.
“Given the danger and escalation posed by these weapons, which threaten security and stability, the Coalition Air Forces conducted a limited military operation this morning targeting weapons and combat vehicles unloaded from the two ships at the port of Al-Mukalla. This was done after documenting the unloading, and the military operation was carried out in accordance with international humanitarian law and its customary rules, ensuring no collateral damage occurred,” spokesman Al-Maliki said on Tuesday.
He affirmed the Coalition’s "continued commitment to de-escalation and enforcing calm in the governorates of Hadramawt and Al-Mahra, and to prevent any military support from any country to any Yemeni faction without coordination with the legitimate Yemeni government and the Coalition. This is aimed at ensuring the success of the Kingdom and the Coalition’s efforts to achieve security and stability and prevent the conflict from spreading.”
Disregarding previous agreements with the Coalition, the group calling itself Southern Transitional Council, or STC, launched a sweeping military campaign early in December, seizing the governorates of Hadramaut along the Saudi border and the eastern governorate of Al-Mahra in Yemen’s border with Oman.
The UAE-backed STC forces captured the city of Seiyun, including its international airport and the presidential palace. They also took control of the strategic PetroMasila oilfields, which account for a massive portion of Yemen’s remaining oil wealth.
CaptioYemenis members of the Sabahiha tribes of Lahj, who live along the strip between the south and north of the country, gather during a rally in the coastal port city of Aden on December 14, 2025, to show their support for the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council (STC), which wants to revive an independent South Yemen. (AFP)
This prompted Saudi Arabia to issue a firm demand for the STC to withdraw and hand over the seized areas to the National Shield Forces, a Saudi-backed unit.
The coalition warned that any military movements undermining de-escalation efforts would be dealt with immediately to protect civilians, according to the Saudi Press Agency.
On Dec. 26, the UAE issued a statement welcoming Saudi Arabia’s efforts to support security and stability in Yemen.
The statement carried by state news agency WAM praised Saudi Arabia’s constructive role in advancing the interests of the Yemeni people and supporting their legitimate aspirations for stability and prosperity.
