Militias and mercenaries threaten efforts to bring peace to Libya

Mustafa Kamel

Crimes and violations by the militias loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, with the support of mercenaries, are increasing, and they have become a burden on the shoulders of citizens who have been living for years in difficult conditions, threatening to abort the settlement process and international efforts aimed at reaching an end to the conflicts that the country has witnessed since February 2011.

Threatening Libyan consensus

Recently, after the Geneva ceasefire agreement, the GNA militias, along with Syrian mercenaries, have embarked on threatening the Libyan consensus through repeated operations of house raids and looting citizens’ property, headed by a group known as the Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade.

The militias are seeking to abort settlement efforts in Libya, as Salah Badi, commander of the Resilience Brigade, came out in a video clip announcing his refusal to hand over militia weapons or to abide by the ceasefire agreement signed by the Joint Military Committee under the auspices of the United Nations.

Badi declared his refusal to abide by the outcomes of the political dialogue sponsored by the United Nations between the Libyan parties, saying, “This weapon will remain for our country to become a free and sovereign state ruled by those who choose it, who is a free person who knows the value of this country and its sacrifices.”

Badi is number 71 on the list of terrorism announced by the Libyan parliament, which includes more than 75 terrorists involved in war crimes inside Libya.

In 2018, the US Treasury announced the imposition of sanctions on Badi. Britain, France and the US also worked to secure the passage of a resolution imposing sanctions on Badi, including freezing his assets and preventing him from traveling.

Badi’s statements rejecting the dialogue come in conjunction with the announcement by the UN Mission in Libya that the 5+5 Libyan Joint Military Committee is preparing this November to hold the fifth round of talks in the city of Ghadames.

Fake commitment

Despite the great optimism that accompanied the Libyan meetings and consultations that led to consensuses, concerns still loom over Libya because of the continued proliferation of armed militias and foreign interventions seeking to fuel conflicts and return the country to square zero.

Observers are unanimous that ending the militias’ power has become necessary for the success of political solutions and the restoration of security and stability in the country.

Ahmed Maiteeq, vice chairman of the GNA Presidency Council, claimed that the GNA would abide by the ceasefire agreement and implement its provisions, which stipulate evacuating the cities from heavy weapons and military appearances, as well as the return of the forces to their barracks. However, the GNA-affiliated Volcano of Anger militia announced its rejection of the agreement, forming a “coalition of support forces” and demanding its representation in the political dialogue.

The coalition had previously announced its rejection of the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum, which is supervised by the UN Mission in Libya in preparation for the upcoming Tunis meetings, and described the participants in the forum as “lacking legitimacy and being the cause of the instability and deterioration of conditions in Libya.”

These moves aim to hinder the efforts made to end the conflict in Libya, especially as they coincide with Turkish statements and moves that reject the Libyan dialogue and consensus, as Ankara is the main supporter of armed militias in Libya, aiming to fuel the conflict and extend its influence in order to plunder the country’s wealth.