Latest news with #militias
LBCI
3 days ago
- General
- LBCI
PM Salam to Wall Street Journal: State must control all arms in Lebanon
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam emphasized the need for the state to have exclusive control over all weapons across Lebanese territory. In remarks to the Wall Street Journal, Salam said the Lebanese government has achieved nearly 80% of its objectives in disarming militias in the south. He emphasized that while the country does not seek a path toward civil war, it remains committed to expanding and strengthening state authority. Meanwhile, the paper reported that U.S. and Israeli officials were "pleasantly surprised" by the progress made by the Lebanese army in disarming Hezbollah.
The National
4 days ago
- General
- The National
Six killed in attack by pro-government militias on tribal area in Syria's north-east
Pro-government militias have killed six people in an attack on a tribal farming community near the border with Turkey in Syria 's north-east, residents said on Wednesday, underscoring difficulties the new administration has in controlling outlying areas. The violence in the town of Suluk, to the east of the Euphrates River in Raqqa governorate, came after members of the Unai, the main tribe in the area, expelled on Monday a militia called the Sunni Lions, which is part of a constellation of armed groups in the region supported by Ankara and allied with Syria's ruling Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS). The main conflict in the north-east is between US-backed Kurdish forces and the Turkish-backed government in Damascus and its auxiliaries. The violence in Suluk indicates disagreements between the central authorities and Arab tribes. The tribes have been trying to regain influence on their home turf, after their areas repeatedly changed hands in the 14 years of Syria's civil war between anti-Assad rebel Kurdish militias, pro-Iranian forces and finally Turkish-backed forces. Local resident Hamlan Al Ein said the expulsion of the Sunni Lions was sparked by the beating by militiamen of an elderly man in the street while he was with his grandchild. "It was the tipping point. People are fed up with their racketeering and thuggishness," Mr Al Ein told The National. He said militiamen then returned to Suluk on Tuesday, accompanied by units of the Syrian National Army, another militia supported by Turkey. "They fired mortar rounds and Dushkas randomly," Mr Al Ein said, referring to a Soviet-era heavy machine-gun. "They broke into shops and rampaged in the town." The dead comprised two tribal fighters and four civilians, he said. There was no information about casualties among the attacking forces. Abdallah Najm, commander of the Sunni Lions, appeared in a video statement from the main square in Suluk. He accused the Unai of "provocation against the government" and marring joy over the removal of Syria's former Bashar Al Assad regime. Mr Najm brandished a tribal robe at the end of his statement, a symbol of victory. The Syrian National Army captured Suluk in 2018 from the mostly Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), a militia supported by the US that still controls large areas of north-east Syria. Since the fall of former president Mr Al Assad, the Syrian National Army, the Sunni Lions and other Arab militias have allied with HTS. HTS, which was formerly linked with Al Qaeda, is led by Ahmad Al Shara, the current Syrian president. Mr Al Shara has been seeking to enlist tribal support in the east to undermine the SDF. He has used a similar strategy against other foes in his quest to consolidate control over the country.
Free Malaysia Today
24-05-2025
- Politics
- Free Malaysia Today
Dbeibah calls on armed groups to align with state
Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah has vowed to remove 'those who prioritise blackmail and corruption'. (AFP pic) TRIPOLI : Libya's UN-backed premier on Saturday called on armed groups to align themselves with 'state institutions' after days of deadly clashes in Tripoli and protests demanding his resignation. 'We will welcome all those who choose to stand with the state,' said Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah in a televised address. 'We will sideline those who resort to blackmail and corruption. Our goal is a Libya free of militias and corruption,' he said. Days of clashes in the capital have pitted an armed group aligned with the Tripoli-based government against groups it has been seeking to dismantle. Libya is split between the UN-recognised 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 Gaddafi. The recent fights have killed at least eight people, said the UN, while the authorities have yet to release an official tally. The clashes had been triggered by the killing of Abdelghani al-Kikli, head of the Support and Stability Apparatus (SSA) faction, by the Dbeibah-aligned 444 Brigade. A second wave of clashes pitted the 444 Brigade against another group, the Radaa force, which controls parts of eastern Tripoli and several key state institutions. A string of executive orders had sought to dismantle Radaa and dissolve other Tripoli-based armed groups, excluding the 444 Brigade. Dbeibah's latest address mainly concerned Radaa, a group controlling parts of eastern Tripoli. 'Trying to sow discord between us and Souq al-Joumaa (a Radaa stronghold) is bound to fail,' Dbeibah said, acknowledging 'a shared mistake' when speaking of the 'clashes in the heart of Tripoli in neighbourhoods full of civilians'. He said certain militias 'had grown excessively, to the point of controlling the entire political, financial, economic, and even social landscape'. He said an SSA associate 'took control of six banks, and those who dared to oppose him disappeared', citing abuses by among others Kikli's nephew, who 'coldly executed 10 people recently'. Another SSA associate, Ousama Al Masri Nejim, is wanted by the International Criminal Court for acts of torture and the rape of a young girl, Dbeibah noted. 'For the first time, I can tell you that you can hope to get rid of the militias,' Dbeibah said, vowing to remove 'those who prioritise blackmail and corruption'. Yet, Tripoli residents have taken to the streets for two consecutive days, demanding Dbeibah's resignation after the deadly fighting. Some 500 people protested on Saturday after thousands of other anti-government demonstrators had gathered at Martyrs' Square in central Tripoli on Friday before marching on the premier's office. The Friday rally had been followed by one police officer being shot dead by unknown attackers when he was 'targeted while securing' Dbeibah's office, according to the government. Tripoli saw signs of normalcy on Friday, with flights resuming, shops reopening and people returning to work. But, despite that, the capital's political situation remained volatile. Local media reported late on Friday that six ministers and deputy ministers from Dbeibah's cabinet had resigned. Only two confirmed their departure. Several municipal councils in western Tripoli voiced support for the protests demanding that Dbeibah quit. Khaled al-Mishri, head of the high council of state in the capital, said he had begun talks with the eastern-based parliament to 'choose a national figure to form a new government'. Dbeibah, meanwhile, met tribal elders in the capital on Saturday and said his government was 'trying to respond quickly' to the recent developments in the city. In his first statement since the clashes erupted on Monday, he urged the tribal leaders to support 'the state's efforts' to prevent 'a return to chaos and the rule of armed groups'. He also met a delegation from Misrata, his hometown, some 200km east of Tripoli. In a statement, the government said the delegation 'expressed firm and unwavering support' for his efforts to 'end the control of armed groups and strengthen state authority' in Tripoli. While the situation remained uncertain, Turkey – a key proponent of Dbeibah's government – repatriated 82 of its nationals late on Friday.
Bloomberg
18-05-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
Libya PM Vows to End Militias As Protests, Violence Rock Capital
Libya's prime minister vowed to rid the North African nation of militias as deadly clashes and anti-government protests sparked fears of a widening conflict. Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, the United Nations-backed premier, urged Libyans to support the government's efforts for a country 'free of militias,' which have become 'more powerful than the state' and are 'dominating political, financial, economic, and even social landscape.'
The National
18-05-2025
- Politics
- The National
'Stand with the state', Libya Prime Minister tells armed groups after clashes
The Prime Minister of Libya's UN-backed government has told armed groups to "stand with the state" following days of clashes between rival militias and protests calling for his resignation over the violence. Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah said in a televised address on Saturday that armed groups must align themselves with state institutions. "We will welcome all those who choose to stand with the state. We will sideline those who resort to blackmail and corruption," he said. "Our goal is a Libya free of militias and corruption." Days of clashes in Tripoli have pitted one armed group aligned with the UN-backed government in the capital against groups the administration has been seeking to dismantle. Libya is split between the UN-recognised government in Tripoli, led by Mr Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east controlled by the family of military strongman Khalifa Haftar. The country has remained divided since a 2011 Nato-backed revolt that toppled and killed longtime leader Muammar Qaddafi. The recent fighting has killed at least eight people, according to the UN, but the Libyan authorities have yet to release an official number. The latest clashes were triggered by the killing of Abdelghani Al Kikli – known as Ghaniwa – the head of the Support and Stability Apparatus, an armed faction in Tripoli. He was allegedly killed by the 444 Brigade, a militia aligned with Mr Dbeibah. A second wave of clashes pitted the 444 Brigade against another group, the Radaa force, which controls parts of eastern Tripoli. A string of executive orders previously sought to dismantle Radaa and dissolve other Tripoli-based armed groups, but not the 444 Brigade. Mr Dbeibah's TV address on Saturday mainly concerned Radaa. "Trying to sow discord between us and Souq Al Joumaa [a Radaa stronghold] is bound to fail," Mr Dbeibah said. But he acknowledged a "shared mistake" when speaking of the "clashes in the heart of Tripoli in neighbourhoods full of civilians". He said certain militias "had grown excessively, to the point of controlling the entire political, financial, economic, and even social landscape". "For the first time, I can tell you that you can hope to get rid of the militias," he said. Tripoli residents have taken to the streets for two consecutive days, demanding Mr Dbeibah's resignation after the fighting. About 500 people protested on Saturday, while on Friday thousands gathered at Martyrs' Square in central Tripoli before marching on the premier's office. The Friday rally followed the shooting of a police officer by unknown attackers while he was "securing" Mr Dbeibah's office, according to the government. The officer died. "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," Mr Dbeibah said. Local media reported on Friday that six ministers and deputy ministers from Mr Dbeibah's cabinet had resigned, but only two confirmed their departure. Several municipal councils in western Tripoli have voiced support for the street protests. The Prime Minister met tribal elders in the capital on Saturday and said his government was "trying to respond quickly" to recent developments. He urged the tribal leaders to support the "state's efforts" to prevent a "return to chaos and the rule of armed groups". He also met a delegation from Misurata, his hometown, about 200 kilometres east of Tripoli. The government said the delegation "expressed firm and unwavering support" for efforts to "end the control of armed groups and strengthen state authority".
