Latest news with #Tripoli
Asharq Al-Awsat
3 hours ago
- General
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Libya Protesters Call on PM to Quit in Third Weekly March
Hundreds of protesters gathered in central Tripoli on Friday for the third week in a row to demand the resignation of UN-recognized Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah following recent clashes in Libya's capital. At least 200 people had assembled by late afternoon, with several hundred more following suit later. Some blasted slogans on loudspeakers from their cars. Libya is split between the UN-recognized government in Tripoli, led by Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east controlled by the family of military strongman Khalifa Haftar. The North African country has remained deeply divided since the 2011 NATO-backed revolt that toppled and killed longtime leader Moamer Kadhafi. National elections scheduled for December 2021 were postponed indefinitely due to disputes between the two rival powers, AFP reported. The recent unrest came after deadly clashes between armed groups controlling different areas of Tripoli killed at least eight people, according to the UN. The clashes were sparked by the killing of an armed faction leader by a group aligned with Dbeibah's government -- the 444 Brigade which later fought a third group, the Radaa force that controls parts of eastern Tripoli and the city's airport. The fighting broke out also after Dbeibah announced a string of executive orders seeking to dismantle Radaa and dissolve other Tripoli-based armed groups but excluding the 444 Brigade. The government and UN support mission in Libya have been pressing efforts to reach a permanent ceasefire since. Last Saturday, a separate protest in Tripoli drew hundreds in support of Dbeibah. Demonstrators condemned the armed groups and called for the reinstatement of Libya's 1951 constitution, which was abolished by Kadhafi after his 1969 coup.
Arab News
21 hours ago
- General
- Arab News
Libya protesters call on PM to quit in third weekly march
TRIPOLI: Hundreds of protesters gathered in central Tripoli on Friday for the third week in a row to demand the resignation of UN-recognized Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah following recent clashes in Libya's capital. Demonstrators chanted 'Dbeibah out,' 'the people want the fall of the government,' and 'long live Libya.' At least 200 people had assembled by late afternoon, with several hundred more following suit later. Some blasted slogans on loudspeakers from their cars. Libya is split between the UN-recognized government in Tripoli, led by Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east controlled by the family of military strongman Khalifa Haftar. The North African country has remained deeply divided since the 2011 NATO-backed revolt that toppled and killed longtime leader Muammar Qaddafi. National elections scheduled for December 2021 were postponed indefinitely due to disputes between the two rival powers. The recent unrest came after deadly clashes between armed groups controlling different areas of Tripoli killed at least eight people, according to the UN. The clashes were sparked by the killing of an armed faction leader by a group aligned with Dbeibah's government — the 444 Brigade which later fought a third group, the Radaa force that controls parts of eastern Tripoli and the city's airport. The fighting broke out also after Dbeibah announced a string of executive orders seeking to dismantle Radaa and dissolve other Tripoli-based armed groups but excluding the 444 Brigade. The government and UN support mission in Libya have been pressing efforts to reach a permanent ceasefire since. Last Saturday, a separate protest in Tripoli drew hundreds in support of Dbeibah. Demonstrators condemned the armed groups and called for the reinstatement of Libya's 1951 constitution, which was abolished by Qaddafi after his 1969 coup.
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Three Suspects Detained for Storming Libya's State Oil Firm, Attorney General Says
Three suspects have been detained for allegedly storming the Libyan state oil firm's headquarters in Tripoli, the country's attorney general said on Thursday, a day after its rival government in the east threatened to declare force majeure on oil fields and ports citing assaults on the firm. The National Oil Corporation is based in Tripoli under the control of the internationally-recognized Government of National Unity. The parallel government in Benghazi in the east is not internationally recognized, but most oilfields in the major oil producing country are under the control of eastern Libyan military leader Khalifa Haftar. The NOC has previously denied its corporation's headquarters were stormed, calling it "completely false" and quoted its acting chief as calling it "nothing more than a limited personal dispute that occurred in the reception area." But the eastern-based government has threatened to also temporarily relocate the NOC's headquarters to "safe cities" such as Ras Lanuf and Brega, both of which it controls, according to Reuters. "The public prosecution reviewed the evidence of the storming of the Corporation's headquarters, inspected the scene, reviewed the video footage recorded at the time of the incident and heard the testimonies of those present," the attorney general said in a statement. The three suspects were handed over by the defense ministry, which was asked "to arrest the remaining contributors to the incident," the attorney general said. The national output of crude oil in the past 24 hours reached 1,389,055 barrels per day, the NOC said on Wednesday, reflecting normal levels. Libya's oil output has been disrupted repeatedly in the chaotic decade since 2014 when the country divided between two rival authorities in the east and west following the NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Arab News
a day ago
- Business
- Arab News
Three suspects detained for storming Libya's state oil firm, attorney general says
TRIPOLI: Three suspects have been detained for allegedly storming the Libyan state oil firm's headquarters in Tripoli, the country's attorney general said on Friday, a day after its rival government in the east threatened to declare force majeure on oil fields and ports citing assaults on the firm. The National Oil Corporation is based in Tripoli under the control of the internationally-recognized Government of National Unity. The parallel government in Benghazi in the east is not internationally recognized, but most oilfields in the major oil producing country are under the control of eastern Libyan military leader Khalifa Haftar. The NOC has previously denied its corporation's headquarters were stormed, calling it 'completely false' and quoted its acting chief as calling it 'nothing more than a limited personal dispute that occurred in the reception area.' But the eastern-based government has threatened to also temporarily relocate the NOC's headquarters to 'safe cities' such as Ras Lanuf and Brega, both of which it controls. 'The public prosecution reviewed the evidence of the storming of the Corporation's headquarters, inspected the scene, reviewed the video footage recorded at the time of the incident and heard the testimonies of those present,' the attorney general said in a statement. The three suspects were handed over by the defense ministry, which was asked 'to arrest the remaining contributors to the incident,' the attorney general said. The national output of crude oil in the past 24 hours reached 1,389,055 barrels per day, the NOC said on Wednesday, reflecting normal levels. Libya's oil output has been disrupted repeatedly in the chaotic decade since 2014 when the country divided between two rival authorities in the east and west following the NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Qaddafi in 2011.
Asharq Al-Awsat
a day ago
- Business
- Asharq Al-Awsat
Protests Demanding Dbeibeh's Resignation Tighten Pressure on Libya's Unity Government
Widespread protests in Tripoli have escalated pressure on Libya's interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh to resign, following renewed unrest and clashes in the capital earlier this month. Demonstrators, mostly young people, blocked major roads and intersections leading to the government's headquarters on Al-Sikka Road, including areas such as Furnaj, Bifi, Zanata, Fashloum, and Yarmouk-Ganzour. The protesters lit car tires on fire, shut down key thoroughfares, and chanted slogans calling for Dbeibeh's removal, denouncing the worsening economic and living conditions. Security forces were deployed to prevent the crowds from advancing toward the prime minister's office. These nightly protests have become increasingly frequent, forming a mounting challenge to the Government of National Unity. Organizers have called for a major demonstration in Martyrs' Square this Friday, dubbing it a 'Friday of Rage.' However, several human rights organizations and civil society figures condemned the use of vandalism during the protests, warning that damaging infrastructure undermines the legitimacy of the movement. The 'Sooq al-Jumaa Movement,' a key group behind the mobilization, denied involvement in acts of sabotage, saying: 'We oppose corruption and this government, but we are not in favor of destruction.' The group reiterated its support for peaceful protest and called for large-scale demonstrations focused on accountability, not chaos. Public frustration has grown sharply over the presence and influence of armed militias in Tripoli, accused of turning the capital into a lawless zone. Citizens, including academics, lawyers, and doctors, issued a statement condemning the violence and accusing militias of forcing business closures, halting university classes, and intimidating civilians under the guise of civil disobedience. They urged Dbeibeh and his interior minister to stop allowing Tripoli to become a 'ghost city,' calling on the government to dismantle the Special Deterrence Force and rein in militia groups led by internationally wanted figures such as Osama Njeim. Meanwhile, the Interior Ministry announced continued security operations in coordination with military units as part of the ceasefire implementation process. In light of the fragile security situation, the Russian Embassy said Ambassador Aydar Aganin met with Mohamed al-Haddad, Chief of Staff of Dbeibeh-aligned forces, to discuss the need to maintain calm and prevent renewed conflict in the capital.
