Latest news with #StabilitySupportAuthority
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Libya's prime minister asserts control after deadly Tripoli violence
A day after deadly clashes shook Tripoli, Libya's United Nations-recognised government in the west of the country has begun asserting control following the reported killing of powerful militia leader Abdelghani al-Kikli, also known as Gheniwa. The Emergency Medicine and Support Centre confirmed it retrieved six bodies from the Tripoli neighbourhood of Abu Salim on Tuesday, after heavy fighting erupted across the capital the previous night and into the early morning. Explosions and gunfire echoed through the southern part of the city as rival armed factions clashed for several hours. The fighting stemmed from the killing of al-Kikli, commander of the Stability Support Authority, SSA, on Monday by a rival militia, a senior government and health official told the Associated Press news agency. An official and local media say al-Kikli was killed during a meeting at the 444 Brigade's base, a group loyal to Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. Al-Kikli had been accused by Amnesty International of war crimes and other serious rights violations over the past decade. Libya analyst Jalel Harchaoui told the AFP news agency that al-Kikli had been ambushed, citing a relative. 'Among Tripoli's most successful armed group leaders,' he was known for outmanoeuvring the prime minister, the analyst added. On Tuesday, Dbeibah declared a military operation had dismantled 'irregular' armed groups. The move is seen as a direct effort to reassert state authority and strengthen his position in the capital. 'Gheniwa 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'. Al-Kikli's forces reportedly operated prisons and held influence over ministries and financial institutions, underscoring a significant shift in the balance of power with his death. Clashes also spread beyond the capital, with fighting between Tripoli-based groups and rival militias from Misrata, a key coastal city to the east. Authorities imposed a temporary curfew before later announcing that calm had returned. Libya, a major oil producer and key route for immigrants and refugees crossing the Mediterranean, remains deeply divided between Dbeibah's UN-recognised administration in the west and a rival eastern government aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar. Foreign powers including Turkiye, Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates continue to back opposing sides in the ongoing power struggle. Dbeibah said a 'military operation' had restored calm and asserted the government's authority. 'What was accomplished today shows that official institutions are capable of protecting the homeland and preserving the dignity of its citizens,' he wrote on X, praising the armed forces' role. Schools across parts of the capital have been closed until further notice. The UN mission in Libya expressed alarm over the use of heavy weapons in densely populated areas, warning that 'attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes' and calling on all sides to 'immediately cease fighting'. Libya plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The oil-rich nation has been governed for most of the past decade by rival governments in eastern and western Libya, each backed by an array of fighter groups and foreign governments.
Al Jazeera
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Libya's prime minister asserts control after deadly Tripoli violence
A day after deadly clashes shook Tripoli, Libya's United Nations-recognised government in the west of the country has begun asserting control following the reported killing of powerful militia leader Abdelghani al-Kikli, also known as Gheniwa. The Emergency Medicine and Support Centre confirmed it retrieved six bodies from the Tripoli neighbourhood of Abu Salim on Tuesday, after heavy fighting erupted across the capital the previous night and into the early morning. Explosions and gunfire echoed through the southern part of the city as rival armed factions clashed for several hours. The fighting stemmed from the killing of al-Kikli, commander of the Stability Support Authority, SSA, on Monday by a rival militia, a senior government and health official told the Associated Press news agency. An official and local media say al-Kikli was killed during a meeting at the 444 Brigade's base, a group loyal to Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah. Al-Kikli had been accused by Amnesty International of war crimes and other serious rights violations over the past decade. Libya analyst Jalel Harchaoui told the AFP news agency that al-Kikli had been ambushed, citing a relative. 'Among Tripoli's most successful armed group leaders,' he was known for outmanoeuvring the prime minister, the analyst added. On Tuesday, Dbeibah declared a military operation had dismantled 'irregular' armed groups. The move is seen as a direct effort to reassert state authority and strengthen his position in the capital. 'Gheniwa 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'. Al-Kikli's forces reportedly operated prisons and held influence over ministries and financial institutions, underscoring a significant shift in the balance of power with his death. Clashes also spread beyond the capital, with fighting between Tripoli-based groups and rival militias from Misrata, a key coastal city to the east. Authorities imposed a temporary curfew before later announcing that calm had returned. Libya, a major oil producer and key route for immigrants and refugees crossing the Mediterranean, remains deeply divided between Dbeibah's UN-recognised administration in the west and a rival eastern government aligned with military commander Khalifa Haftar. Foreign powers including Turkiye, Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates continue to back opposing sides in the ongoing power struggle. Dbeibah said a 'military operation' had restored calm and asserted the government's authority. 'What was accomplished today shows that official institutions are capable of protecting the homeland and preserving the dignity of its citizens,' he wrote on X, praising the armed forces' role. Schools across parts of the capital have been closed until further notice. The UN mission in Libya expressed alarm over the use of heavy weapons in densely populated areas, warning that 'attacks on civilians and civilian objects may amount to war crimes' and calling on all sides to 'immediately cease fighting'. Libya plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The oil-rich nation has been governed for most of the past decade by rival governments in eastern and western Libya, each backed by an array of fighter groups and foreign governments.
Miami Herald
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Violent Clashes Erupt in Libya After Top Official Assassinated
Rival gunman exchanged fire in Libya's capital following the killing of a local militia leader in clashes which have prompted international calls for calm. The violence followed the killing of Abdel Ghani al-Kikli, also known as "Gheniwa," who is the head of the powerful Stability Support Authority (SSA) militia. The SSA is under the Presidential Council, which came to power in 2021 with the Government of National Unity (GNU) through a United Nations-recognized process. The U.N. called for a de-escalation on Tuesday after heavy gunfire and explosions rocked Tripoli's southern districts on Monday evening, Al Jazeera reported. This is a developing story and will be updated shortly. Related Articles Maximalism Will Doom Diplomacy With Iran | OpinionJudge Says Trump Deportations to Libya, Saudi Arabia Violate Court OrderTwo More Countries Could Take Deported U.S. Migrants: ReportItaly's Meloni Under Probe for Releasing ICC-Wanted Libyan Officer 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Al Jazeera
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Heavy gunfire, clashes in Libya's Tripoli after killing of militia leader
The United Nations has called for urgent de-escalation in Libya's capital, Tripoli, as rival gunmen exchanged fire in the city's southern districts after the killing of a powerful militia leader, with authorities imposing an emergency lockdown. The appeal early on Tuesday came as residents reported hearing heavy gunfire and explosions across multiple neighbourhoods from about 9pm local time (19:00 GMT) on Monday. Al Jazeera's Malik Traina, reporting from Libya's Misrata, said security sources had confirmed the killing of Abdel Ghani al-Kikli, widely known as 'Gheniwa', who is the head of the powerful Stability Support Authority (SSA) militia. Gunfire and clashes then consumed several parts of Tripoli. Al-Kikli was one of the capital's most influential militia leaders and had recently been involved in disputes with rival armed groups, including factions linked to Misrata. His SSA is under the Presidential Council, which came to power in 2021 with the Government of National Unity (GNU) of Abdul Hamid Dbeibah through a UN-recognised process. Traina said that at least six people have been wounded, although it remains unclear whether they are security force members or civilians. In a statement shortly after the clashes began, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said it was 'alarmed by the unfolding security situation in Tripoli, with intense fighting with heavy weaponry in densely populated civilian areas'. UNSMIL added that it 'calls on all parties to immediately cease fighting and restore calm, and reminds all parties of their obligations to protect civilians at all times'. UNSMIL is alarmed by the unfolding security situation in Tripoli, with intense fighting with heavy weaponry in densely populated civilian areas. The Mission calls on all parties to immediately cease fighting and restore calm, and reminds all parties of their obligations to… — UNSMIL (@UNSMILibya) May 12, 2025UNSMIL voiced support for local mediation efforts, particularly those led by elders and community leaders, emphasising the need to protect civilians amid mounting tensions. The GNU's Ministry of Internal Affairs urged residents to stay home and avoid movement, warning of further instability, while the Ministry of Education suspended classes across Tripoli on Tuesday, citing the deteriorating security situation. The GNU's media platform said early on Tuesday that the Ministry of Defence had fully taken control of the Abu Salim neighbourhood. 'I heard heavy gunfire, and I saw red lights in the sky,' one resident told the Reuters news agency on condition of anonymity. Two others told Reuters that the gunfire was echoing all over their neighbourhoods of Abu Salim and Salah Eddin. Videos and images online showed plumes of black smoke amid the sound of gunfire, as well as armed men in the streets and convoys entering the city. Footage verified by Al Jazeera's Sanad fact-checking agency captured the sound of medium-calibre gunfire in several neighbourhoods, including areas where the SSA militia is known to operate. Several districts have seen what local sources describe as 'suspicious military manoeuvres', with convoys arriving from Az-Zawiyah, Zintan and Misrata – seen by many as preparations for a possible showdown in the capital. Al Jazeera's Traina said the renewed clashes have prompted anger and worry. 'People are angry that every time these armed groups clash, civilians are caught in the crossfire,' he said, adding that residents are demanding 'accountability'. 'When these groups fight and people are killed, no one is held responsible. Locals want justice, and expect the authorities to hold those behind the violence accountable,' he said. Libya plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The oil-rich nation has been governed for most of the past decade by rival governments in eastern and western Libya, each backed by an array of fighter groups and foreign governments.
Newsweek
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
Violent Clashes Erupt in Libya After Top Official Assassinated
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Rival gunman exchanged fire in Libya's capital following the killing of a local militia leader in clashes which have prompted international calls for calm. The violence followed the killing of Abdel Ghani al-Kikli, also known as "Gheniwa," who is the head of the powerful Stability Support Authority (SSA) militia. The SSA is under the Presidential Council, which came to power in 2021 with the Government of National Unity (GNU) through a United Nations-recognized process. The U.N. called for a de-escalation on Tuesday after heavy gunfire and explosions rocked Tripoli's southern districts on Monday evening, Al Jazeera reported. This is a developing story and will be updated shortly.
