Latest news with #Abdulhamidal-Dbeibah
Straits Times
2 days ago
- General
- Straits Times
UN calls for probe into mass graves at Libya detention centres
FILE PHOTO: Members of the 444 Brigade of the Libyan Army, a unit serving the Government of National Unity (GNU) and Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, stand guard in Tripoli, Libya, May 13, 2025. REUTERS/Ayman al-Sahili/File Photo GENEVA - The United Nations rights office called on Wednesday for a independent investigation into the discovery of mass graves at detention centres in Libya's capital Tripoli. The Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights said it was "shocked" by gross human rights violations uncovered at official and unofficial detention facilities run by the Stability Support Apparatus, a security institution. It was established to uphold the rule of law and falls under the Presidential Council that came to power in 2021 with the Government of National Unity of Abdulhamid Dbeibah through a U.N.-backed process. But Libya, a major oil producer in the Mediterranean, has known little law and order since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi and eventually divided the country between warring eastern and western factions. The OHCHR said the discovery of dozens of bodies and suspected instruments of torture and abuse confirmed longstanding findings by the U.N. that human rights violations were committed at such sites. "We call on the Libyan authorities to conduct independent, impartial and transparent investigations into these discoveries," OHCHR said in a statement. It urged the authorities to preserve evidence and grant Libya's forensic teams, as well as the United Nations, full access to the sites. Outright war fighting in Libya abated with a ceasefire in 2020 but efforts to end the political crisis have failed, with major factions occasionally joining forces in armed clashes and competing for control over Libya's substantial energy resources. Armed clashes erupted on Monday evening and gunfire echoed in the centre and other parts of Tripoli following reports that the commander of one of its most powerful armed groups had been killed, three residents told Reuters by phone. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Yomiuri Shimbun
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Libya's PM Says Eliminating Militias Is ‘Ongoing Project' as Ceasefire Holds
Reuters file photo Demonstrators demand the overthrow of the Libya's Government of National Unity, in Tripoli TRIPOLI, May 18 (Reuters) – Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah said on Saturday that eliminating militias is an 'ongoing project,' as a ceasefire after deadly clashes this week remained in place. 'We will not spare anyone who continues to engage in corruption or extortion. Our goal is to create a Libya free of militias and corruption,' Dbeibah said in a televised speech. Dbeibah is the country's internationally recognized leader in the west, based in Tripoli. After Dbeibah on Tuesday ordered the armed groups to be dismantled, Tripoli was rocked by its fiercest clashes in years between two armed groups. The clashes killed at least eight civilians, according to the United Nations. The government announced a ceasefire on Wednesday. It followed Monday's killing of major militia chief Abdulghani Kikli, widely known as Ghaniwa, and the sudden defeat of his Stabilisation Support Apparatus group by factions aligned with Dbeibah. SSA is under the Presidential Council that came to power in 2021 with the Government of National Unity of Dbeibah through a United Nations-backed process. SSA was based in the densely populated Abu Salim neighbourhood. GNU's Interior Ministry said in a statement that nine decomposed corpses were found in a morgue refrigerator in Abu Salim-based Al-Khadra hospital. It said SSA never reported them to authorities. The PM's media office posted a video of Dbeibah greeting the security force protecting the Prime Ministry Building. It said he later received delegations from elders to discuss Tripoli's situation and what he called 'successful security operation in Abu Salim.' 'The Prime Minister stressed that this operation falls within the state's fixed vision to eliminate armed formations outside the police and army institutions,' the media office said. On Friday, at least three ministers resigned in sympathy with hundreds of protesters who took to the streets calling for Dbeibah's ouster. Dbeibah did not comment on their resignations. 'The protests are annoying, but I've put up with them. I know some of them are real, but a lot of them are paid,' he said. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya expressed concern on Friday about the escalation of violence in Tripoli, calling on parties to protect civilians and public property. Libya has had little stability since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising ousted longtime autocrat Muammar Gaddafi. The country split in 2014 between rival eastern and western factions, though an outbreak of major warfare paused with a truce in 2020. While eastern Libya has been dominated for a decade by commander Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army, control in Tripoli and western Libya has been splintered among numerous armed factions. A major energy exporter, Libya is also an important way station for migrants heading to Europe, while its conflict has drawn in foreign powers including Turkey, Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. State-oil firm NOC said on Friday that its operations at oil facilities are proceeding as normal, with oil and gas exports operating regularly.
The Star
17-05-2025
- Politics
- The Star
Libya's PM says eliminating militias is 'ongoing project' as ceasefire holds
FILE PHOTO: Demonstrators demand the overthrow of the Libya's Government of National Unity headed by Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, in Martyrs' Square in Tripoli, Libya. May 16, 2025. REUTERS/Ayman al-Sahili/File Photo TRIPOLI (Reuters) -Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah said on Saturday thateliminatingmilitias is an "ongoing project," as a ceasefire after deadly clashes this week remained in place. "We will not spare anyone who continues to engage in corruption or extortion. Our goal is to create a Libya free of militias and corruption," Dbeibah said in a televised speech. Dbeibah is the country's internationally recognized leader in the west, based in Tripoli. After Dbeibah on Tuesday ordered the armed groups to be dismantled, Tripoli was rocked by its fiercest clashes in years between two armed groups. The clashes killed at least eight civilians, according to the United Nations. The government announced a ceasefire on Wednesday. It followedMonday's killingof major militia chief Abdulghani Kikli, widely known as Ghaniwa, and the sudden defeat of his Stabilisation Support Apparatus group by factions aligned with Dbeibah. SSA is under the Presidential Council that came to power in 2021 with the Government of National Unity of Dbeibah through a United Nations-backed process. SSA was based in the densely populated Abu Salim neighbourhood. GNU's Interior Ministry said in a statement that nine decomposed corpses were found in a morgue refrigerator in Abu Salim-based Al-Khadra hospital. It said SSA never reported them to authorities. The PM's media office posted a video of Dbeibah greeting the security force protecting the Prime Ministry Building. It said he later receiveddelegations from elders to discuss Tripoli's situation and what he called "successfulsecurity operation in Abu Salim." "The Prime Minister stressed that this operation falls within the state's fixed vision to eliminate armed formations outside the police and army institutions," the media office said. On Friday, at least three ministers resigned in sympathy with hundreds of protesters who took to the streets calling for Dbeibah's ouster. Dbeibah did not comment on their resignations. "The protests are annoying, but I've put up with them. I know some of them are real, but a lot of them are paid," he said. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya expressed concern on Friday about the escalation of violence in Tripoli, calling on parties to protect civilians and public property. Libya has had little stability since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising ousted longtime autocrat Muammar Gaddafi. The country split in 2014 between rival eastern and western factions, though an outbreak of major warfare paused with a truce in 2020. While eastern Libya has been dominated for a decade by commander Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army, control in Tripoli and western Libya has been splintered among numerous armed factions. A major energy exporter, Libya is also an important way station for migrants heading to Europe, while its conflict has drawn in foreign powers including Turkey, Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. State-oil firm NOC said on Friday that its operations at oil facilities are proceeding as normal, with oil and gas exports operating regularly. (Reporting by Ahmed ElumamiEditing by Rod Nickel)
Straits Times
17-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Libya's PM says eliminating militias is 'ongoing project' as ceasefire holds
FILE PHOTO: Demonstrators demand the overthrow of the Libya's Government of National Unity headed by Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, in Martyrs' Square in Tripoli, Libya. May 16, 2025. REUTERS/Ayman al-Sahili/File Photo TRIPOLI - Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah said on Saturday that eliminating militias is an "ongoing project," as a ceasefire after deadly clashes this week remained in place. "We will not spare anyone who continues to engage in corruption or extortion. Our goal is to create a Libya free of militias and corruption," Dbeibah said in a televised speech. Dbeibah is the country's internationally recognized leader in the west, based in Tripoli. After Dbeibah on Tuesday ordered the armed groups to be dismantled, Tripoli was rocked by its fiercest clashes in years between two armed groups. The clashes killed at least eight civilians, according to the United Nations. The government announced a ceasefire on Wednesday. It followed Monday's killing of major militia chief Abdulghani Kikli, widely known as Ghaniwa, and the sudden defeat of his Stabilisation Support Apparatus group by factions aligned with Dbeibah. SSA is under the Presidential Council that came to power in 2021 with the Government of National Unity of Dbeibah through a United Nations-backed process. SSA was based in the densely populated Abu Salim neighbourhood. GNU's Interior Ministry said in a statement that nine decomposed corpses were found in a morgue refrigerator in Abu Salim-based Al-Khadra hospital. It said SSA never reported them to authorities. The PM's media office posted a video of Dbeibah greeting the security force protecting the Prime Ministry Building. It said he later received delegations from elders to discuss Tripoli's situation and what he called "successful security operation in Abu Salim." "The Prime Minister stressed that this operation falls within the state's fixed vision to eliminate armed formations outside the police and army institutions," the media office said. On Friday, at least three ministers resigned in sympathy with hundreds of protesters who took to the streets calling for Dbeibah's ouster. Dbeibah did not comment on their resignations. "The protests are annoying, but I've put up with them. I know some of them are real, but a lot of them are paid," he said. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya expressed concern on Friday about the escalation of violence in Tripoli, calling on parties to protect civilians and public property. Libya has had little stability since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising ousted longtime autocrat Muammar Gaddafi. The country split in 2014 between rival eastern and western factions, though an outbreak of major warfare paused with a truce in 2020. While eastern Libya has been dominated for a decade by commander Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army, control in Tripoli and western Libya has been splintered among numerous armed factions. A major energy exporter, Libya is also an important way station for migrants heading to Europe, while its conflict has drawn in foreign powers including Turkey, Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. State-oil firm NOC said on Friday that its operations at oil facilities are proceeding as normal, with oil and gas exports operating regularly. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
16-05-2025
- Politics
- Straits Times
Libyan protesters demand prime minister quit as three ministers resign
FILE PHOTO: Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah speaks after submitting his candidacy papers for the upcoming presidential election at the headquarters of the electoral commission in Tripoli, Libya November 21, 2021. REUTERS/Hazem Ahmed/File Photo TRIPOLI - Hundreds of Libyan protesters called on Friday for the ouster of the internationally recognised prime minister, Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and at least three ministers resigned in sympathy with the protesters. The demonstrators gathered in Martyrs' Square in Tripoli, chanting slogans such as "The nation wants to topple the government' and 'We want elections.' They then marched to the main government building in the city center. "We won't leave until he leaves," one protester said. The marchers carried pictures of Dbeibah, national security adviser Ibrahim Dbeibah and Interior Minister Emad Tarbulsi with their faces crossed out in red Dbeibah, who leads the divided country's Government of National Unity, came to power through a UN-backed process in 2021. Planned elections failed to proceed that year because of disagreements among rival factions, and he has remained in power. On Friday, businessman Wael Abdulhafed said, "We are (here) today to express our anger against Dbeibah and all those in the power for years now and (who) prevent elections. They must leave power." Calls for Dbeibah to resign increased after two rival armed groups clashed in the capital this week in the heaviest fighting in years. Eight civilians were killed, according to the United Nations. Violence flared after the prime minister on Tuesday ordered the armed groups to be dismantled. Demonstrators have accused Dbeibah of failing to restore stability and of being complicit in the growing power of armed groups. Economy and Trade Minister Mohamed al-Hawij, Local Government Minister Badr Eddin al-Tumi and Minister of Housing Abu Bakr al-Ghawi resigned on Friday. Militia leader Abdulghani Kikli, widely known as Ghaniwa, died in the clashes, which calmed on Wednesday after the government announced a ceasefire. Libya has had little stability since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising ousted longtime autocrat Muammar Gaddafi. The country split in 2014 between rival eastern and western factions, though an outbreak of major warfare paused with a truce in 2020. While eastern Libya has been dominated for a decade by commander Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army, control in Tripoli and western Libya has been splintered among numerous armed factions. The main oil facilities in the major energy exporter are located in southern and eastern Libya, far from fighting in Tripoli. Engineers at several oil fields and export terminals told Reuters output remained unaffected by the clashes. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
