Latest news with #MuammarQaddafi
Arab News
13 hours ago
- Politics
- Arab News
UN mission in Libya urges immediate de-escalation in Tripoli
TRIPOLI: The UN Mission in Libya urged on Wednesday all Libyan parties to avoid actions or political rhetoric that could trigger escalation or renewed clashes in Tripoli, following reports of continued military buildup in and around the city. Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Al-Dbeibah ordered in May the dismantling of what he called irregular armed groups, which was followed by Tripoli's fiercest clashes in years between two armed groups that killed at least eight civilians. 'The Mission continues its efforts to help de-escalate the situation and calls on all parties to engage in good faith toward this end ... Forces recently deployed in Tripoli must withdraw without delay,' the UN Mission said on social media. A Tripoli-based Government of National Unity under Al-Dbeibah was installed through a UN-backed process in 2021 but the Benghazi-based House of Representatives no longer recognizes its legitimacy. Libya has had little stability since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising ousted longtime autocrat Muammar Qaddafi. The country split in 2014 between rival eastern and western factions, though an outbreak of major warfare paused with a truce in 2020. While eastern Libya has been dominated for a decade by commander Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army, control in Tripoli and western Libya has been splintered among numerous armed factions.
Arab News
3 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Libya authorities intercept over 100 migrants off coast
TRIPOLI: Libyan authorities on Monday said they had intercepted 113 migrants off the country's coast and recovered three bodies in separate operations over three days. The bodies of three 'illegal migrants of African nationalities' were discovered on a beach in Misrata, some 200 kilometers (125 miles) east of Tripoli, the Ministry of Interior said. Also on Monday, security forces on a speedboat intercepted 54 migrants off Garabulli, 50 kilometers east of the capital Tripoli, the ministry added. They were brought back to the capital's port and handed over to the competent authorities, it said. The day before, 'as part of a plan to intensify maritime patrols during the summer,' 20 migrants 'of various nationalities' were rescued off Zawiya, 45 kilometers west of Tripoli, the ministry said Sunday. On Saturday, 39 migrants were intercepted off the eastern coast of Tripoli, the ministry reported, without providing further details about where they were found or their point of departure. Libya has been gripped by unrest since the 2011 overthrow and killing of longtime ruler Muammar Qaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising. It has become a hub for tens of thousands of migrants trying to reach Europe, risking their lives at sea. Migrants intercepted by Libyan authorities — even in international waters before reaching the Italian coast, some 300 kilometers away — are forcibly returned to Libya and held in detention under harsh conditions frequently condemned by the United Nations.
Business Insider
02-07-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
Libya eyes oil revival as Chevron, TotalEnergies, others vie in first tender since 2011 war
Chevron Corp. and TotalEnergies SE are among 37 global energy firms vying for exploration rights in Libya's first energy tender as the North African nation seeks to restore its battered oil sector and attract foreign investment. Chevron Corp. and TotalEnergies SE are among 37 firms competing for Libya's energy exploration rights. Libya seeks to rejuvenate its oil sector post-2011 conflict and attract foreign investment. The tender marks Libya's first since 2007, aiming for increased oil output to 2 million barrels daily by 2030. Chevron Corp. and TotalEnergies SE are among 37 global energy firms vying for exploration rights in Libya's first energy tender since the 2011 conflict, as the North African nation seeks to restore its battered oil sector and attract foreign investment. Other interested parties include Eni SpA and ExxonMobil, according to National Oil Corporation (NOC) Chairman Massoud Seliman, who spoke in an interview from the capital, Tripoli. In April, Business Insider Africa reported that after more than a decade of turmoil, Libya is once again drawing the attention of international oil majors, with Turkey also eyeing a stake in the action. The OPEC member, which holds Africa's largest proven oil reserves, last conducted an oil exploration tender in 2007, before the 2011 uprising that toppled longtime ruler Muammar Qaddafi and plunged the country into prolonged instability. A return of foreign bidders would mark a major turning point for Libya's energy sector, which has struggled to recover amid deep political fragmentation, Blomberg reported. Libya targets output surge Libya aims to raise daily oil production to 2 million barrels by the end of the decade, surpassing the 1.75 million barrels per day achieved during Muammar Qaddafi's rule in 2006. Current output stands at approximately 1.4 million barrels a day. Under the new tender framework, successful companies will shoulder the initial costs of exploration, including seismic surveys, but will be allowed to recover their investments if they strike commercially viable hydrocarbon reserves. Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) is awaiting approval for a $3 billion development budget aimed at boosting the country's oil production to 1.6 million barrels per day within a year, according to Chairman Massoud Seliman. A portion of the proposed budget will be directed toward expanding operations at key joint ventures, including Akakus Oil Operations, which manages the Sharara field, Libya's largest.
Arab News
15-06-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Former French president Sarkozy stripped of Legion of Honour
PARIS: Former French President Nicolas Sarkozy has been stripped of his Legion of Honour – the country's highest distinction – following a conviction for graft, according to a decree published Sunday. The right-wing ex-president ruled France from 2007-2012 and has been beset by legal problems since leaving office following a bruising presidential election defeat. An appeals court last year upheld former French President Nicolas Sarkozy's conviction for illegal attempts to secure favors from a judge and ordered him to wear an electronic ankle bracelet instead of serving a one-year jail sentence. The decision to revoke his award had since been expected, according to the rules of the order, despite current French President Emmanuel Macron saying he was opposed to the move. Sarkozy becomes the second former head of state to be stripped of the award after Nazi collaborator Philippe Petain, who was convicted in August 1945 for high treason and conspiring with the enemy. Sarkozy, whose electronic tag was removed this month, is using his last remaining legal avenue, an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights, to defend himself against the conviction. He is currently on trial in a separate case on charges of accepting illegal campaign financing in an alleged pact with late Libyan dictator Muammar Qaddafi. The court is to give a verdict in September with prosecutors asking for a seven-year prison term for Sarkozy, who denies the charges. Despite his legal problems, Sarkozy remains an influential figure on the right and is known to regularly meet with Macron.
Arab News
02-04-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Libya ‘crackdown' forces aid groups to cease operations: diplomats
TUNIS: Diplomats in Libya have said in a letter to authorities seen by AFP that several international humanitarian organizations were forced to suspend operations after threats by security services and forced resignations. In the letter, which was obtained by AFP on Wednesday, 17 mainly European ambassadors and a UN official accuse the Internal Security Agency (ISA) of an 'ongoing crackdown' on non-governmental groups and humanitarian aid workers. In war-torn Libya split between two rival administrations, the ISA reports to the interior ministry in the capital Tripoli, seat of the UN-recognized government. 'Between March 13 and 27, the ISA summoned at least 18 staff members from six international NGOs for questioning,' said the letter addressed to the Tripoli-based foreign ministry. ISA agents 'seized some of their passports,' forced them to 'resign from their positions' and pledge in writing never to work for an international NGO again, the letter added. It also said the security service 'sealed some of their offices.' Beyond the six groups directly affected, the diplomats said that 'many other organizations are suspending activities as a matter of precaution.' AFP was not able to independently verify the claims made in the letter, dated March 27. The authorities in Tripoli did not immediately comment on the matter, but announced a press conference later on Wednesday to address 'the work of international NGOs.' Libya has struggled to recover from the chaos that followed the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that overthrew longtime dictator Muammar Qaddafi. It remains split between the UN-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival authority in the east, backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. The diplomats' letter does not name the organizations affected by the ISA's alleged measures, but a source familiar with the issue said on condition of anonymity that they include the International Rescue Committee, the International Medical Corps and the Danish Refugee Council. Contacted by AFP, the Danish Refugee Council said it 'could not comment' on the matter. There was no immediate comment from the other groups. The source said that some foreign NGO staff members had been ordered to leave Libya, while others had been barred from returning after recent trips abroad. The source mentioned that the authorities had already imposed visa restrictions on foreign humanitarian workers between July 2022 and December 2023, but operations had continued using local staff or individuals who did not require visas. In their letter, the diplomats from the European Union, France, Britain and other countries as well as a top UN humanitarian representative voiced concern about the impact of the measures. The crackdown including detention and questioning of staff members has had a 'particularly alarming' effect 'on the provision of humanitarian primary health assistance,' the letter said. It urged authorities to allow the NGOs to 'reopen their offices and safely restart humanitarian operations as soon as possible.' It also demanded that seized passports be returned to staff members, and 'any resignation letters or pledges signed at the ISA office' invalidated.
