Libyan terrorist Badi leads Qatari-Turkish plots in Tripoli

Shaimaa Hefzi

A number of Libyan terrorist groups, which are financed by the Muslim Brotherhood, Qatar and Turkey, are launching the military operations in the city of Tripoli to stop the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by Marshal Khalifa Haftar. The LNA aims at freeing Tripoli from terrorists.

Salah Badi, the leader of the Sumud Brigade militia, is on top of these terrorists. Badi is a former Libyan military commander, who was known for his opposition to late Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi.

In November 2018, the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action today targeting Badi for launching attacks on Tripoli. The OFAC said on its website that the action was concurrent with the UN Security Council’s Libya Sanctions Committee.

The OFAC said the Sumud Brigade militia had sparked violent clashes in the south of Libya’s capital, Tripoli.  Upon entering Tripoli in late August 2018, Badi also called for support from other militias to attack the city, plunging it into turmoil.  The Sumud Brigade has waged attacks against rival militias aligned with the Government of National Accord, through which Badi has undermined the peace, security, and stability of Libya.

“Salah Badi’s prolonged militia attacks on Libya’s capital have devastated the city and disrupted the peace,” said Sigal Mandelker, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. “Treasury is targeting rogue actors in Libya who have contributed to chaos and turmoil that undermines the internationally recognized Government of National Accord.”

Badi previously served in the former parliament in Tripoli, the General National Congress (GNC), and is renowned for having led fierce battles to keep the GNC in power beyond its mandate in 2014.

Badi led the Gharghour massacre at the end of 2013, which killed 56 people and injured 458 others. As the situation escalated into open armed conflict, the Government of Libya was unable to function properly, the newly elected parliament left the capital, the UN evacuated, and most embassies closed, further exacerbating Libya’s vulnerability in the wake of the country’s 2011 revolution.

As a result of today’s actions, any property or interest in property of Badi within or transiting U.S. jurisdiction are blocked.  U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with blocked persons, including entities owned or controlled by designated persons.  Additionally, the corresponding UN sanctions obligate all UN Member States to impose an asset freeze and travel ban.