Protests and Tensions in Libya

Translated by Beatrice Cherubini

A new wave of protests and clashes has struck the Libyan capital and other areas of the country following the assassination of Abdel Ghani al-Kikli, better known as Gheniwa, commander of the Stability Support Apparatus (SSA). The military leader was killed on May 12 during a closed-door meeting at the Tekbali military base, headquarters of the 444th Combat Brigade, along with his bodyguards in what appears to have been an ambush. The incident quickly triggered an escalation of tensions: hundreds of armed men affiliated with the SSA blocked roads, set up improvised checkpoints, and staged armed demonstrations in various parts of Tripoli, demanding justice and accusing rivals within the Government of National Unity (GNU). Militias in Libya, such as the SSA and al-Radaa, are accused of serious human rights violations, including torture, extrajudicial killings, and crimes against migrants and refugees. Nevertheless, many of their leaders have been integrated into state institutions.

Although formally established under the aegis of the GNU, the SSA had long ceased to answer to it, while remaining involved in security operations, the management of certain state institutions, and alleged links to criminal activities and corruption. Gheniwa was a controversial figure: a United Nations report published in December 2024 identified him as a key player in financing militias through corrupt practices. Amnesty International and the European Center for Constitutional and Human Rights (ECCHR) had repeatedly denounced him as one of the main perpetrators of violence in Libyan detention centers, where torture, extrajudicial executions, and systematic abuses against migrants and refugees have been documented. His name also appears in a complaint filed with the International Criminal Court (ICC), which accuses him of crimes against humanity.

Armed formations loyal to the Government of National Unity (GNU) and led by the same 444th Combat Brigade that orchestrated Gheniwa’s assassination claimed to have dismantled the SSA and taken control of its headquarters. Immediately after the killing, a series of armed clashes ensued among rival militias in the capital, including the Deterrence Anti-Organized Crime and Terrorism Apparatus (al-Radaa), one of Tripoli’s armed groups.

The Recent Events in Tripoli

During the fighting, homes, vehicles, and public offices were destroyed. The media reported dozens of injuries and damage to civilian infrastructure, including Central Bank offices. Despite a truce declared on May 14 by the Presidential Council, violence continued in the form of armed repression of civilian protests, with bullets fired at peaceful demonstrators in the neighborhoods of Abu Salim, Souq al-Jumaa, and Tajoura. At least eight civilians were killed, some shot indiscriminately in their own homes.

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❝All armed groups are obliged to protect civilians from harm during clashes, and authorities must ensure their right to peaceful protests❞.

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- Hanan Salah, Associate Director for the Middle East and North Africa at Human Rights Watch

On May 13, in the middle of the fighting, Prime Minister Dabeiba ordered the dissolution and restructuring of the security apparatuses, apparently to bring them under state control. However, widespread negative reactions to the decrees among the targeted armed factions prompted the head of the Presidential Council, al-Menfi, to freeze any military or security-related decisions.

Between May 14 and 16, hundreds of people took to the streets in Tripoli, demanding the removal of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibeh and his government. In a move that underscores the growing public pressure on the government, three ministers announced their resignations in solidarity with the protest movement. According to local sources, protesters fear that Gheniwa’s killing could be the prelude to a reorganization of internal power dynamics, with the real risk of renewed fighting among rival militias.

The demonstrations also led to clashes between protesters and security forces near the presidential office. Those taking part in the protests mainly come from the Souq al-Jumaa neighborhood and the city of Zawiya, both linked to the al-Radaa militia, which also includes General Almasri. Thousands of demonstrators set tires ablaze and threw stones in front of the government headquarters. The Interior Ministry reported the death of an officer but made no mention of civilian casualties.

Rights and Freedoms at Risk

Although these clashes were triggered by territorial disputes and growing tensions over control of resources, they are part of a broader context of political division in the country. Libya is indeed divided between two rival authorities vying for power: the Government of National Unity (GNU), based in Tripoli, along with affiliated armed groups and quasi-state forces, controls western Libya. Their rivals, the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) and the security apparatuses, together with affiliated militias, control eastern and southern Libya.

The crisis in Libya is not only a matter of political instability but also a humanitarian tragedy fueled by impunity. Civilians continue to pay the highest price in a conflict where repression and institutional void stoke the risk of escalation. Without a political solution that reforms security institutions and restores trust, Tripoli remains on the brink of open war.

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