Latest news with #444thCombatBrigade
Libya Herald
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Libya Herald
444th Brigade and Military Intelligence head Mahmoud Hamza's narrative of the SDF / RADA Tripoli clash
Writing on his personal Facebook page yesterday, and not on his official 444th Combat Brigade page, Major General Mahmoud Hamza, Commander of the 444th Combat Brigade and Director of the Military Intelligence Department, narrated his version of yesterday's events regarding the clash with the Special Deterrence Force (SDF) / RADA in Tripoli. ''For years, we have always been keen on the security and protection of citizens, preventing bloodshed and stopping the armed conflict. We were not advocates of war, and keen on the sanctity of the blood of innocent people and the protection of lives, property and honours. Our intervention in the past years to stop armed conflicts is evidence of the sincerity of our intentions''. SDF / RADA reneg on agreement to handover locations ''What happened yesterday (the attack by SDF / RADA and its allied militias on his own forces) is treachery, betrayal and violation of the covenant and the charter, where the 'Deterrence and Judicial Forces' yesterday, after we were in an agreement and covenant with them, attacked all the (444th) brigade's positions in the capital Tripoli treacherously and without warning. We could only stand firm and valiantly in defence of their treachery, for which they were known before, and they learned a lesson in all the places where they were treacherous. They 'eat with the wolf and cry with the shepherd.' Refrained from attacking even though they could ''At the same time, we sought with every effort, and we stopped fighting to protect the people, and although all the lines were open to us to advance in all axes, but we stopped fighting. This shows our keenness to prevent blood and not to fight''. Comment Ultimately, this is one side of the story. Hamza's story. On the opposite side, the SDF / RADA have conveyed the narrative that Hamza's 444, the 111 Brigade and their other allies at the time, attacked them. Hamza is saying his forces went to fill a vacuum left by the disintegrating Stability Support Agency (SAA) and its ally, the Judiciary Force, following Abdelghani Ghnewa Al-Kikly's contested death the day before. Hamza recounts that his forces were entering these vacated locations with the agreement of the SDF / RADA forces. But according to him, they reneged on the agreement and attacked Hamza's forces. Nevertheless, as Hamza suggested, his track record is not that of a hot head. He has sought to portray and mould the 444th as a neutral and regular state institution: a regular army. His forces in guarding major crosspoints, roundabouts and traffic lights Salahaldeen and Ain Zara are impeccably presented and are respected by civilians in their treatment. They are restrained in being overly aggressive and in using force. They are mindful that they are accountable and represent the state. Militas are not. On the contrary, militias act with impunity at the cost of the Libyan people and the Libyan state. Hamza knows too well, that unlike the warlord militia leaders, he is a military civil servant. He is dispensable at the stroke of the pen of his boss – current prime minister Aldabaiba. However, Aldabaiba's enemies have sought to take advantage of the fog of war and create a tribal/regional narrative that Aldabaiba only stands for his hometown of Misrata – rather than the militia versus regular police and army narrative. The Libyan state will never stand on its feet if the state does not have a monopoly on the legitimate, accountable use of force. There can be no monopoly if the state is full of multiple, corrupt, self-aggrandising militias. . Images of Abdelghani Ghnewa's funeral in Kikla appear as his SSA militia mourn him Gunfire at demonstrations calling for Aldabaiba's downfall, nervous ceasefire holding as calm returns to Tripoli The time of parallel security services is over, there is no place in Libya except for regular institutions of the army and police: Aldabaiba Tripoli PM Aldabaiba appoints Mustafa Al-Wahishi as the new head of the Internal Security Agency Tripoli PM Aldabaiba decrees reorganisation of some security units following Ghnewa Kikly's reported killing Ceasefire announced after heavy overnight fighting in Tripoli Calm returns after overnight Tripoli clashes as major militia leader reportedly killed
Libya Review
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Libya Review
Egypt Forms Emergency Team to Monitor Libya Crisis
Egypt's Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday the formation of an emergency operations room to monitor the fast-moving developments in Libya, as armed clashes continue to rock the capital Tripoli. In a statement, the ministry confirmed that the operations room will remain in constant session to follow the evolving situation. It will coordinate directly with the Egyptian embassy in Tripoli around the clock and handle queries and requests from Egyptian nationals in Libya through two dedicated hotlines: 0020115566606 and 00218914897985. The ministry also stated that it is working in full coordination with relevant state institutions to manage the crisis effectively. It urged all Egyptian citizens residing in Libya to exercise extreme caution, stay indoors, and avoid areas witnessing armed conflict until the situation stabilises. Earlier on Wednesday, Egypt called on all Libyan factions to prioritise national interest, de-escalate hostilities, and embrace dialogue to prevent further deterioration. Cairo warned that continued violence could lead to a full-scale escalation that would undermine Libya's sovereignty and threaten regional stability. The capital Tripoli has been engulfed in fierce fighting involving light, medium, and heavy weapons since Tuesday evening. The clashes pit the 444th Combat Brigade, affiliated with the Government of National Unity and led by Mahmoud Hamza, against the Deterrence Apparatus for Combating Organised Crime, commanded by Abdulraouf Kara and based at Mitiga Airbase. The Egyptian government's response underscores growing regional concern over the security vacuum in Libya. It also highlights the vulnerability of Egyptian citizens amid the latest outbreak of violence.
The National
14-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
Who was Libya's militant leader Abdel Ghani Al Kikli?
One of Libya's most influential militia leaders, Abdel Ghani Al Kikli, known as Gheniwa, was killed on Monday night, triggering violent clashes across the capital Tripoli. Al Kikli was the commander of the Stability Support Apparatus (SSA), one of the city's most powerful militant groups, based in western Libya, in the densely populated Abu Salim neighbourhood. The group has been accused of committing atrocities and faces allegations of crimes against humanity during the country's long-running conflict. He was killed at the headquarters of the 444th Combat Brigade of the Libyan army, a militia commanded by Mahmoud Hamza, a warlord close to Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. Al Kikli was a baker in 2011, when the Arab Spring sparked the uprising against former president Muammar Qaddafi. He rallied neighbours in his Abu Salim district to take over a local army barracks. Continuing clashes across the capital has left at least six people dead, according to Libya's Emergency Medicine and Support Centre. Libya expert Jalel Harchaoui told AFP that Al Kikli was likely ambushed at the base, citing a relative of the SSA leader. Mr Harchaoui described Al Kikli as one of Tripoli's 'most successful armed group leaders', with an 'ability to outmanoeuvre Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah'. Mr Harchaoui said this would mean a 'territorial reshuffle' in the capital, with the 444 Brigade seizing areas formerly controlled by the SSA. Al Kikli 'was de facto king of Tripoli,' Tarek Megerisi of the European Council on Foreign Relations told Reuters. 'His henchmen controlled the internal security agency … cash transfers from the central bank … numerous public companies and ministries'. It has been reported that Al Kikli was involved in disputes with rival armed groups, including those linked to the city of Misurata. The SSA militia is under the Presidential Council that came to power in 2021 with the government of national unity (GNU) of Mr Dbeibah through a UN-backed process. Amnesty International said on Tuesday that it has documented crimes including enforced disappearances and deaths in custody by SSA militia members under Al Kikli's command, as well as interceptions of refugees and migrants at sea that have been marred by reports of violence, leading to loss of life. Gunmen loyal to Al Kikli ran prisons and occupied government ministries and financial institutions. The human rights agency also called for the government to hold militia leaders across the country to account following the surrender of many SSA members, said the report. 'For years, the SSA terrorised people in Tripoli through enforced disappearances, torture, and other crimes under international law,' Mahmoud Shalaby, Egypt and Libya Researcher at Amnesty International, said in the report. 'SSA members subjected hundreds of migrants and refugees to torture, forced labour and rape after intercepting them at sea and returning them to detention centres under SSA's command,' he said. In addition, a United Nations panel of experts reported in December that Al Kikli was a central figure in Libya's balance of power, playing a key role in militia financing through corrupt practices.
Russia Today
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Russia Today
Armed groups clash in Libyan capital (VIDEOS)
Armed clashes erupted in Libya's capital, Tripoli, on Monday evening following reports of the assassination of a senior military commander. According to Al Jazeera, Abdul Ghani al-Kikli, head of the UN-backed government's Stability Support Apparatus (SSA), was killed in a firefight in southern Tripoli. The incident reportedly took place inside the headquarters of the 444th Combat Brigade after 'failed negotiations.' Local media reported fighting and troop movements in the Abu Salim and Mashrou neighborhoods. Fighting has erupted in the Libyan city of Tripoli following the assassination of the head of the Stability Support Apparatus. Multiple key installations appear to have been captured by different groups in the middle of the chaos. The airport has been closed.#Breaking# DETAILS TO FOLLOW
