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Armed Conflicts in Africa:

Libyan Civil War

Libya, North Africa

The Libyan Civil War is a consequence of the power vacuum created following the death of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, in 2011. The power shift presented an opportunity for former oppressed moderate and extremist factions to challenge each other for power.

Following Gaddafi’s death, Libya has been divided into spheres of influence by different groups and entities. A UN-backed government resides in Tripoli, whereas the UN-recognised parliament is based in Tobruk. General Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), has consistently vowed to take the Capital, Tripoli. General Haftar and his LNA, subsequently, has military strongholds in Benghazi and eastern Libya. The Tobruk Parliament, also called the House of Representative (HoR) and the Tripoli Government, have been in a diplomatic stalemate since 2014 due to changing agendas of the Tripoli government’s militia. Henceforth, the two governmental bodies operate separately notwithstanding agreeing to several peace agreements. The HoR runs despite the Libyan Supreme Court’s ruling in 2014 that claimed elections were unconstitutional and thus, stressed that the legislative body should be dissolved. Despite this, the US, EU, and the UAE, have recognised the Tobruk-based parliament as legitimate.

The HoR has historically strengthened its relationship with General Khalifa by installing him as the head of the military. This complicated negotiations when General Khalifa’s forces, the LNA and other militias loyal to him, were conducting campaigns to allegedly liberate Tripoli from the UN-backed government. Currently, the renegade General has succeeded to gain large swathes of territory under his control. France attempted to bring together the Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj and General Khalifa to the negotiation table in another attempt to stabilize Libya, but despite agreements, no substantial gains have been made.

In addition to fighting among each other, these parties are also battling with extremist forces within the country who want a replacement for Gaddafi. The former UN-backed government, the General National Congress/Council (GNC), which still influences the current UN-backed government, the Government of National Accord (GNA), has backing from a coalition of secular and Islamist militias known as Libya Dawn. The Libyan Dawn and General Khalifa are allied groups with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and al-Qaida. Recently, Libyan youth prefer to follow ISIS, thus, al-Qaida-allied groups are increasingly disbanding. The combined pressure from groups allied to the UN-backed Tripoli government and General Khalifa’s forces have resulted in monumental gains against the Islamic State in Libya.

The EU and the UN have been supporting peace negotiations in Geneva in 2020. Italy and France have invested in Libya since they believe if Libya is stable, it will reduce the number of migrants crossing the sea from Africa to Europe via Libya. Additionally, both countries have oil companies there, thus they are fighting for their economic interests. France is supporting the UN-backed Tripoli government while ‘undermining’ the peace process by supporting General Khalifa militarily. Because Italy and France are part of the UN Mission in Libya, the UN efforts have been limited.

In November 2020 the UN attempted to progress peace talks through the election procedure by inviting 75 delegates from the country’s two rival assemblies as well as some handpicked independents to Tunis. The following discussion attempted to agree on an election procedure. The conference failed to make significant ground, so in January the UN convened a 18-delegate Advisory Committee who eventually agreed on a proposed procedure. The 18 delegates then submitted the proposal to the wider 75 group who voted and passed it. The mechanism divides the 75 forum members into three constituencies based on Libya’s three historical regions (Tripolitania in the west, Cyrenaica in the east and Fezzan in the south). The groups would elect a regional representative to the Presidency Council. Separately, the 75 forum members will elect the Prime Minister, who will need to win at least 70 per cent of their votes.

This power struggle has perpetuated a culture of violence and caused a humanitarian crisis. This crisis prevents civilians from accessing infrastructure, good health, quality education, stable electricity, consistent water, durable food security, and job security. All these have had severe impacts on the economy, oil production, law enforcement, and the justice system. Until the government factions concede power to one internationally and nationally recognised government, the war will not end. Little progress has been made in the UN-led negotiations throughout early and mid 2022. Sources of income including oil and gas fields remain closed as a result, which is increasing tensions and national instability.

“A political solution to the Libyan conflict requires the full and united support of the international community.”António Guterres – Secretary-General of the United Nations.

Key Facts

People killed — 10,000 — 25,000

People Displaced — 401,836

Population — 6.777 Million

Where: Libya

Refugees: 43,113 registered (UNHCR)

The Players

The Transitional National Council (TNC)

The Transitional National Council (TNC) was formed on 27 February 2011 in Benghazi. The council was composed of politicians, tribal leaders, former military officers, academics, and businessmen. One of the central goals of the TNC was to ensure the safety of the national territory and citizens via the coordination of national efforts to liberate the rest of Libya with the Libyan People’s Army. In doing so, the TNC supported the efforts of local councils to restore normal civilian life. The TNC began with 33 members and was led by Mustafa Abdul Jalil – Chairman of the Council, Mustafa Honi – Vice Chairman of the Council, Zubeir Ahmed El-Sharif – Political Prisoners representative and Omar El-Hariri – Military Council representative. This organ operated for less than ten months. Benghazi city-wide protesters demanding transparency on expenditures, and for accountability on Gaddafi-era officials, including their removal from offices led to the collapse of the council. On 8thAugust 2012, TNC officially dissolved when it transferred its powers to the General National Congress (GNC).

Government National Accord (GNA)

The Government National Accord (GNA) is the interim government created following the signing of the UN-led initiative called the Libya Political Agreement. It had 18 ministers and was headed by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj in April 2016. The main aim for this organ was to unify Libya to combine the Tripoli and Tobruk based governments. This was not successful because the country remained greatly divided across political, tribal, and ideological lines.

Government National Accord (GNA)

Presidential Council (PC)

The Presidential Council was created following an agreement between Tobruk-based House of Representatives (HoR) and the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNC) in 2015. The warring sides adopted the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) on 17 December 2015. The Council was regarded as the sole representative of the Libyan people following the UNSC adopted Resolution 2259. OoThe Council faces significant opposition from key figures such as the GNC’s president, Nuri Abu Sahmain, HoR president, Ageelah Saleh, General Haftar, forces associated with the Libyan National Army, and armed groups in Western Libya.

House of Representatives (HoR)

The HoR based in Tobruk is one of the sections of the split Libyan government following the 2014 election. They are located in the East of Libya. The HoR is recognized internationally by countries such as the United Arab Emirates, The European Union, and Egypt, despite the declaration of the Libyan Supreme Court during the June 2014 election that it was illegal and unconstitutional. The HoR was legitimized as the legislative authority by the Libyan Political Agreement (LPA) but with the intention that they will be part of the Government of National Accord (GNA). The HoR is fighting against extremist groups and other militia groups who are interested in controlling the oil wells and pipelines in the region.

Khalifa Haftar

OôKhalifa Haftar is a rebel leader who challenges the rule of the UN-backed government or the Government of National Accord (GNA). He fought alongside Col Muammar Gaddafi to remove King Idris from power in 1969. Following their successes, Gaddafi promoted Mr. Haftar to Field Marshall thus he led the Libyan forces in the conflict between Libya and Chad in the 1980s. The disastrous conflict resulted in him and his troops captured by the French-backed Chadians in 1987. Haftar went to exile to the USA after his release from Chad. Khalifa Haftar returned to Libya after Gaddafi was deposed from power and became a key commander for a makeshift rebel force in the East of Libya. Khalifa had a low profile until February 2014 where he made a TV appearance detailing his plan to save Libya. He urged the citizens to rise against the Government of National Accord and General National Congress (GNC). He gained immediate support in Benghazi since the people of the city had become disenchanted with the total failure of the GNC and their inability to fight off the extremist groups gaining traction in the area. He launched Operation Dignity in May 2014 against radical groups. By 2015, he was appointed as Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) by the HoR. Within a year and a half, Commander Khalifa and the LNA were able to push out the extremist militants outside of Benghazi and other strongholds like Derna (which is 250KM east of Benghazi). He secured key oil terminals known locally as the Oil Crescent. General Khalifa has the strongest army out of all sides in the Libyan conflict, and he is the head of the Libyan military. His forces are fighting against the Tripoli-based government and militias not loyal to them, as well as Islamist groups.

Many speculate that Haftar enjoys the support of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt. Saudi Arabia’s involvement was confirmed when he flew to meet with King Salman before his offensive to capture Tripoli. Wall Street Journal says that the Saudi Kingdom offered Millions of dollars to Khalifa to help him in his current campaign. Italy and France have opposing contributions with the latter supporting airstrikes against LNA’s biggest opponents, the Chadian opposition fighters, in Southern Libya.

Ansar al-Sharia

Ansar al-Sharia is an al-Qaeda affiliate group operating in Benghazi, Derna, Sirte, Sabratha and other towns in eastern and western Libya following the ousting of President Gaddafi. The affiliate branches operate independently. They acknowledged partial participation in the attack on the US consulate in September 2012 that killed the US Ambassador Christopher Stevens and three other Americans. The Tripoli branch joined forces with Libya Dawn. In October 2014, the Derna section pledged their allegiance to ISIS, which caused tension within the group. In November 2014, the group was listed as a foreign terror group by the UN.

As a Salafist Islamist militia group, they advocated for the implementation of strict Sharia law across Libya. As of 6 August 2013, U.S. officials confirmed that Ahmed Abu Khattala, the Libyan leader of Ansar al-Sharia, has been charged with involvement in the 2012 attack on the U.S. diplomatic compound in Benghazi. Ansar al-Sharia announced their dissolution, due to internal struggle and increased threat from various armed militias and General Khalifa’s forces, in May 2017.

Libya Dawn

Libya Dawn is a coalition of pro-Islamist militias who were able to seize parts of the capital city of Tripoli and other coastal cities from Misrata in the summer of 2014. The groups that are part of Libya Dawn include, Ansar al-Sharia and its branches, al-Qaida affiliated groups in Tripoli, Libyan Revolutionaries Operations Rooms, Derna Mujahideen Shura Council, and Muslim Brotherhood branches. They are viewed as the “armed wing” of the General National Congress, the predecessor of House of Representatives (HoR). Their strongholds are Tripoli and Misrata.

Target: Libya Dawn targets any militia operating within the Tripoli and Misrata that is not allied to them. Also, they are in a constant battle with General Khalifa’s Libyan National Army (LNA) as they conduct their campaign to ‘liberate’ Libya.

Support: Libya Dawn benefits from the support from Qatar and Turkey, as well as local businessmen, Muslim Brotherhood, and Berbers.

Schisms: Reports that Libya Dawn is facing internal struggles. The Islamist groups under the umbrella cannot agree on who to ally themselves with, al-Qaida or Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS). Ansar al-Sharia in Derna pledged their allegiances to ISIS in October 2014. The schism was aided by Libyan and foreigners ISIS fighters’ returnees in the spring and summer of 2014. According to analysists, radical youths prefer joining ISIS-allied militias.

Islamic State in Libya (IS-Libya)

Though the origins of the Islamic State in Libya (IS-L) is disputed, their threat became noticeable in 2014 when extremist groups operating in Derna pledged their allegiance to ISIS. With bases in Derna and Sirte, they lost Sirte to the government-led allied militia campaigns after controlling the city for a year and a half. The UN warns of the extremist group’s ability to exploit the current political instability to expand their influence.

IS-L targets both government and rebel forces around the country. The group uses a combination of armed attacks and bombings to target its opponents, as well as conventional warfare, though rarely. Funding strategies include kidnapping foreigners and demanding ransoms. The leader of IS-L is Abdul Qadr al-Najdi, who controls around 2000-3000 active fighters with at least 800 of the current fighters consisting of returnees from Syria and Iraq.

UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL)

The UN Support Mission in Libya was created on 16 September 2011 through a UNSC resolution to support the transitional period with the Transitional National Council. The mission is led by Ghassan Salame Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG). UNSMIL monitors and reports human rights violations and abuses, supports the process to secure uncontrolled arms and counterproliferation, and coordinating international assistance and stabilization of post-conflict zones. In 2015, the UN-brokered negotiations with various factions to reach a power-sharing deal. Negotiations included representatives of two rival parliaments, the Tobruk-based HoR and Tripoli-based Government National Accord (GNC), as well as other independent participants. The new government was quickly recognized as the sole representative of the Libyan people following the UNSC adopted Resolution 2259.

The UN are currently supporting talks between parties to secure a democratic transition.

France

France’s involvement in Libya is primarily to decrease the migration of Africans. This is rooted in the fact that thousands of migrants are seeking asylum or refugee status in the Western European countries. France is supporting both of those 1the UN-backed government and General Khalifa. Historically, France and Libya had an estranged relationship due to their engagement in Chad Civil War and the possible involvement of the Gaddafi’s government in downing the UTA flight 772 in 1989. Following the death of Col Gaddafi, on one side, France has played a critical role in uniting opposition groups to create the UN-backed government in Tripoli. On the other hand, France was supplying weapons and training to General Khalifa’s forces in Eastern Libya. France’s support of Khalifa began in 2015 when he deployed advisors, clandestine operatives and special forces to eastern Libya while offering little support to the UN-backed GNA government. France did not acknowledge the speculations until July 2016 following the death of the French special forces in a helicopter crash near Benghazi. The maintained relationship with General Khalifa, despite opposition from European powers, resulted in the rebel leader’s decision to attend the France-led unity meeting in Paris in May 2018.

Italy

Italy, the former colonial power, is heavily involved in the UN-brokered peace deals since many of the migrants pass through Italy onto Western Europe. Italy and Gaddafi’s government had also brokered agreements to curb illegal immigration in the 2000s, making the North African country a ‘buffer zone’ for Europe. It was agreed that Italy would increase its aid to Libya as long as President Gaddafi aggressively prevented migration into Italy. For these reasons, Italy has invested political capital, both officially and unofficially, into the Libyan crisis by hosting summits, peace conferences, and meetings. Italy’s approach has been criticized as the country sometimes bypasses the Tobruk and Tripoli governments and works directly local and regional representatives, members of civil society, and tribal leaders. From an economic standpoint, Italy is protecting its oil interests in Libya through the company ENI.

Turkey

In January 2020, the Turkish Grand National Assembly voted to send troops to Western Libya as support to the GNA. This can be added to their previous actions of providing drones, munitions, and armored vehicles. Turkey’s Recep Tayyip Erdoğan declared they will “spare no effort in confronting the conspiracy against the Libyan people”. Other international actors have called for Turkey to withdraw their military and cease activity in Libya immediatley.

Egypt

In July 2020, the Egypt’s parliament has authorised the deployment of troops outside the country after the president threatened military action against Turkish-backed forces in neighbouring Libya. Egypt is collaborating with the United Arab Emirates and Russia, to support the eastern-based military commander Khalifa Haftar and the LNA. Egypt had carried airstrikes in Libya.

Fathi Bashagha

Fathi Bashagha is the Prime Minister of the parallel government, appointed by the House of Representatives. Fathi Bashagha claims that he had held positive talks with senior officials in Washington to secure a peaceful election process.

Abdul Hamid Dbeibah

Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, a businessman-turned-politician, was chosen as Libya’s interim Prime Minister following United Nations-sponsored talks.

Dbeibah, along with a three-member Presidential Council, have accepted the task of preparing for fair and transparent national elections, as well as ensuring the safe participation of Libyans in the electoral process.

Section 1400: Terrorism Links: Groups & Individuals

Armed Conflicts In Africa: Libyan Civil War

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