Two more police stations bombed in Libya’s Benghazi

Libyan bystanders inspect the damage on one of the two police stations that were bombed in the early hours of May 12, 2013 in Benghazi.

Two police stations were bombed early Sunday in the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi, a security official said, the second such attack in days that caused damages but no casualties, AFP reported.

“There were two new attacks today targeting al-Gwarcha and al-Uruba police stations, and both buildings have been lightly damaged,” the official said on condition of anonymity.

On Friday bomb attacks targeted Ras Obeida and al-Madina police stations in Libya’s second city causing extensive damage to the buildings and cars parked nearby.

The attacks are the latest signs of insecurity in Libya’s second city, birthplace of the uprising that toppled the dictator Muammar Qaddafi in 2011.

Nearly two years after his fall, rebel groups that helped to overthrow him are still refusing to disband and remain a more visible presence on the streets than the state security forces.

“We are not satisfied with the performance of the Ministry of Interior,” said Osama al-Sharif, Benghazi’s local council spokesman told Reuters. “And especially with the leadership of Benghazi’s police.”

The recent violence against diplomats, military and police includes an attack in September that killed the U.S. ambassador and three other Americans.

This week, diplomats began to withdraw from the capital Tripoli, where security took a turn for the worse in late April when armed groups seized two ministries for about a fortnight to press demands on parliament.

(Source / 12.05.2013)

UPDATE: Libyan Defence Minister Reconsiders Resignation

Upon a request by the Prime Minister Ali Zidan, the Libyan Defence Minister Mohamed El-Barghathi has reconsidered his resignation he announced early Tuesday in a press conference. A statement by the Office of the Prime Minister said “the government did not received an official resignation letter by the defence minister and the PM asked him to carry on his duties.” “The minister expressed his understanding of the conditions the country is experiencing and confirmed that he would continue in his job,” the statement added. Earlier, the Office of the Prime Minister Ali Zidan issued a statement saying his cabinet “still works with all its members” and concentrating on its priorities. The statement also said that the government denies statement by Mr. Saad El-Urrfi who has been presented by the media as the Military Governor of the South in which he claimed that Chadian troops entered Libyan territories. “This person is civilian, he does not work at the office of the Military Governor of the South and he is not authorized to do any work as such,” the statement said. The statement called on Libyan citizens not to believe rumours and hopes that media organizations be more accurate and precious when dispersing news. Reports on Tuesday said that the Minister of Defence saying that the resignation is not surprising as it has been in the making during the last few days. The gunmen also put under siege the Prime Minister’s office in Tripoli on Monday night demanding that Ali Zidan resigns. There were also reports that both the Minister of Interior and Minister of Electricity have resigned on Monday. On Monday, gunmen seized the headquarters of the General Electric Company in Tripoli who attacked its general manager and other employees. A statement issued by the company’s workers said that the company asked for protection from the authorities but they did not answer the request. (Source / 07.05.2013)

Libyan rights activist attacked after interview with Al Arabiya

Libyan human rights activist Abdulsalam Al-Mesmari was reportedly attacked by anonymous individuals after his interview with Al Arabiya last week.

Libyan human rights activist Abdulsalam Al-Mesmari was reportedly attacked by anonymous individuals after his interview with Al Arabiya last week, the channel’s Libya correspondent reported Friday.

The activist, who appeared on Al Arabiya’s program “Panorama” on Wednesday, criticized armed groups who had besieged Libyan ministries during the week.

Mesmari blamed the groups for the offensive on the ministries and said they were attacking a “legitimate government.”

In the interview, Mesmari criticized political movements who he said used armed gangs to surround official administration buildings to impose pressure on the government.

Mesmari claimed that these parties failed at achieving their demands through Libya’s National Congress and other democratic tools, referring to the fact this may be the reason why they resorted to armed gangs.

Meanwhile, civil establishments in Libya have organized peaceful demonstrations in Tripoli and other Libyan cities to condemn the recent encircling of governmental institutions by armed groups.

The demonstrators chanted slogans that called for the application of law and condemned poor state security.

(Source / 03.05.2013)

Libya: UN urges political dialogue as gunmen overtake Ministries and other State institutions

Libyan women participate in a demonstration in Tripoli calling for the disarming of armed groups.

30 April 2013 – The United Nations mission in Libya today said it is following the latest developments in the country where armed gunmen have overtaken the ministries of justice and foreign affairs, and other State institutions, and urged all Libyans to join the country’s democratic transition.

In a statement from the capital, Tripoli, the UN Support Mission there (UNSMIL) said it stresses the basic right of all Libyans to express their demands by peaceful means but “underlines the need for all to abide by the principles and goals of the Libyan revolution, in which the revolutionaries played a historic and decisive role and paid dearly to achieve it.”

“These principles revolve around the building of a modern and strong state based on democracy, rule of law and human rights,” the Mission added.

Dozens of armed men occupied the Libyan Justice Ministry earlier today, according to media reports, forcing ministry staff to leave. Meanwhile, the country’s Foreign Ministry remains under siege for a third day. Protesters have told journalists that they want to push the General National Congress – Libya’s highest legislative authority – to pass a proposed law that would ban Muammar al-Qadhafi-era officials from holding Government posts.

Mr. Al-Qadhafi was overthrown in 2011 after decades of autocratic rule. Since then, UNSMIL has been assisting the country’s transition toward a modern democratic State.

“UNSMIL urges all Libyans to adhere to constructive dialogue to resolve their differences in accordance with the principles of democracy as the way forward to achieving the goals of the revolution,” according to the statement.

The UN Mission also urges all Libyans, “including the revolutionaries who were instrumental in liberating the people from dictatorship, to join efforts at this critical stage of their country’s democratic transition to build the State and support its elected bodies and legitimate institutions.”

The Mission also stressed the need for all to create a conducive environment for these institutions to be able to carry out the duties entrusted to them by the people and to ensure that their authority, the integrity and credibility of their decisions are respected, the statement noted.

Last month, protesters overran the General National Congress and attempted an attack on its president, leading to condemnations from Tarek Mitri, the Secretary-General’s Special Representative and UNSMIL head.

(Source / 30.04.2013)

Gunmen surround foreign ministry in Libya capital

TRIPOLI (AFP) — Gunmen on Sunday surrounded Libya’s foreign ministry demanding it be “cleansed of agents” and ambassadors of ousted dictator Moamer Gadhafi and warned they will spread their protest if their demands are not met.

The group prevented staff from entering the building in Tripoli, AFP correspondents said.

Around 30 vehicles, some mounted with anti-aircraft guns, and dozens of armed men surrounded the office, they reported.

An official, who declined to be named, admitted that the gunmen’s demands were “legitimate” but he said it did not justify “paralyzing the whole work of a ministry” and criticized the group’s “extremely offensive” behavior.

The gunmen said they wanted the ministry to be “cleansed of agents” of the former regime and stressed they will stand their ground until their demands are met.

They also warned they could spread their action to other ministries.

“Political exclusion is an obligation,” one of the gunmen said, adding that former regime officials still hold key jobs at the foreign ministry.

The General National Congress, Libya’s highest political authority, is studying proposals for a law to exclude former Gadhafi regime officials from top government and political posts.

The proposed law could affect several senior figures in the government, and has caused waves in the country’s political class.

In March, demonstrators encircled the assembly, trapping members in the building for several hours as they called for the adoption of the law.

After the siege was lifted, gunmen targeted Congress chief Mohammed Megaryef’s motorcade without causing any casualties.

Libya’s government is struggling to assert its influence across the country, where former rebels who fought Gadhafi in the 2011 uprising still control much of the territory.

(Source / 28.04.2013)

Libyans celebrate two years since revolution

People wave Libyan national flags as preparations take place in the city for the upcoming celebrations to commemorate the second anniversary of the revolt against Muammar Qaddafi, in Benghazi February 13, 2013.

Thousands of people gathered in Libya’s two main cities Tripoli and Benghazi on Friday to celebrate two years since the start of the revolution that ousted long-time dictator Muammar Qaddafi.

In central Tripoli, hundreds of people assembled in Martyrs’ Square, waving flags and balloons and chanting slogans praising the martyrs of the Libyan revolution as cars drove through the capital sounding their horns.

In Benghazi, the eastern city where the revolt began, thousands of people marched along the same route of a procession organized on February 15, 2011, the catalyst that sparked the outbreak of uprising two days later.

The Benghazi protesters also praised the martyrs, as well as those who disappeared and those wounded in the conflict that lasted for more than eight months until Qaddafi’s death on October 20, 2011.

But the demonstrators also criticized the new authorities, demanding in particular a greater decentralization of power.

The government has already taken a series of measures to contain any attempt by supporters of the former regime to “sow chaos” amid anger from protesters who accuse the new rulers of failing to push for reform.

Some critics of the government even called for a “new revolution” as they denounced the power of ex-militias which helped to end more than four decades of Qaddafi rule.

(Source / 15.02.2013)

Libya’s Zueitina oil terminal to reopen in coming days – officials

Libyan officials say the Zueitina oil terminal will reopen in the coming days after protesters demanding better working conditions forced the facility to close.

Libya’s Zueitina oil terminal should reopen in the coming days, officials said, after the oil ministry gave the go-ahead for activities to resume, following the latest disruption to the country’s economic lifeline.

At the facility which lies some 800 kilometers east of the capital Tripoli, protesters who had forced the shutdown of operations last month, were no longer there as negotiations over their social demands continued.

In the meantime, employees at the terminal were preparing to resume work.

“We received information from the administration saying that the organization has decided to restart operations and oil pumping at the Zueitina terminal,” Abduladeem Shareed, security supervisor at the terminal, said on Tuesday.

Libya’s Deputy oil minister said the terminal’s management had been given the go-ahead to plan restarting operations as soon as possible, with Shareed indicating the facility could be up and running again as early as this week.

“Maybe in a day or two, we will restart operations and shipping,” Shareed said.
No oil has been shipped out of Zueitina, which exports around 60,000-70,000 barrels per day, since the start of January, due to protests that began in December. A crude shipment left the terminal around the end of December.

Protesters’ threats have affected mainly the shipping of oil rather than gas, and the deputy oil minister said once pumping had resumed, it would take 10 to 14 working days for the first shipment to leave the terminal.

In December, protesters calling for jobs and other social demands forced their way into Zueitina port’s management offices and ordered the port director to shut down operations.

The chairman of Zueitina Oil Company later said they were persuaded to leave by local officials but it was not clear whether an actual agreement had been reached.

Oil installations have become a focal point of protests in Libya in the wake of July polls that ushered in the North African country’s first elected authorities.

Libya’s oil minister said last week his ministry had reached agreement with the army chief, defense and interior ministries to secure exporting terminals, after a spate of protests that have caused disruption to the key industry, which is almost back to pre-war output levels of 1.6 million bpd.

The Libyan administration is still struggling to impose order on a vast and divided country awash with arms and militias after the overthrow of Muammar Qaddafi in late 2011.

(english.alarabiya.net / 16.01.2013)

Zintan’s revolutionaries warn of releasing Saif El Islam Gaddafi

Zintan’s revolutionaries or the so-called Zintan’s Military Council warned of releasing Saif El Islam Gaddafi if the government insisted on its request to extradite a revolutionary leader named Hassan Tatataki.

According to a document intended to Zintan’s revolutionaries dated on 12/23/2012 and signed by chief of Zintan’s military council Mokhtar Khelifa Chaoub, the council criticized the government for putting Hassan Tatataki’s name in the black list.

The document says Tatataki contributed to the Libyan revolution which toppled Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, about two years ago.

If the government puts pressure, the council which detains Saif El Islam said it will release Gaddafi’s son.

Tatataki is a well-known businessman in Libya. He has Libyan, Turkish and Egyptian nationalities. The government wanted him after it found out he had transferred Lockerbie compensation during Libya’s former regime.

Tatanaki was close to Saif El Islam and Abdellah Sanoussi, Libyan intelligence chief in the Gaddafi administration. He was one of dissidents and supported the Libyan revolution in Zintan. He offered money to revolutionaries. Because of that, they showed dissatisfaction over the government’s request and warned of releasing Saif El Islam.

Sources say revolutionaries are serious about their warning although the man played a big role in promoting the Gaddafi regime reputation.

Tatanaki is chairman of the Libyan oil drilling company Challenger LTD and owner of Libya Channel.

(www.echoroukonline.com / 01.01.2013)

Libyan army to head to Bani Walid after clashes

Libyan army forces hold national flags as they leave their headquarters in Tripoli.

Libya’s army is heading towards the former Qaddafi stronghold of Bani Walid hoping to impose order in the town after deadly clashes there, the chief of staff said on Thursday.

At least 10 people were killed and dozens wounded as Libyan militias linked to the army shelled Bani Walid and faced counter-attacks on Wednesday.

Many of those in the militias were from the rival town of Misrata, which has been enraged by the death of rebel fighter Omran Shaban after two months in detention in Bani Walid. Shaban, from Misrata, was the man who found Muammar Gaddafi hiding in a drain pipe in Sirte on Oct. 20, 2011.

Libya’s ruling national congress had ordered the defense and interior ministries to find those who abducted Shaban and were suspected of torturing him to death. It also gave Bani Walid a deadline to hand them over.

Elders have tried to negotiate a solution as militias have taken up position around the town, at times clashing with local fighters. Leaders hope the army will be able to enter Bani Walid peacefully, following an agreement brokered with locals allowing their arrival.

“The (army) force is ready to enter Bani Walid and we expect this force will enter peacefully,” army chief of staff Yussef al-Mangoush told reporters. “The army is going to take control of the security situation.”

There had been talk congress president Mohammed Magarief would also head to Bani Walid to facilitate the army’s entry but a congress spokesman said the visit had been cancelled.

A spokesman for Bani Walid’s fighters said the town was still being shelled, raising questions as to how the military would enter. “Shops are closed, there is shortage of food, fuel,” Colonel Salem al-Wa’er said.

Tensions between Misrata and Bani Walid underscore the challenge Libya’s new rulers face in reconciling groups with long-running grievances.

While Misrata spent weeks under siege by Gaddafi forces in last year’s war, Bani Walid, 140 km (90 miles) away, was one of those that remained loyal to Gaddafi longest. The town of around 70,000 remains isolated from the rest of Libya and former rebels say it still harbors pockets of support for the old government.

(english.alarabiya.net / 18.10.2012)

Ali Zeidan, ex-Qaddafi opponent, elected as Libya’s PM

Former local council member of the city of Tripoli and member of the Libyan National Council Ali Zeidan speaks during a conference on Libya, in Doha in this file photo taken May 11, 2011.

Libya’s General National Congress elected Ali Zeidan, a long-time opponent of deposed dictator Muammar Qaddafi, as prime minister on Sunday, the assembly’s chief said.

“Ali Zeidan is elected prime minister and is asked to propose a cabinet within two weeks,” Mohammed Megaryef, president of the national assembly, said in remarks broadcast on television.

Benefitting from the backing of the liberal coalition in the 200-seat assembly, Zeidan won 93 of the votes cast, trumping the 85 garnered by the only other candidate, local government minister Mohammed al-Hrari.

Zeidan replaces Mustafa Abu Shagur who was dismissed as prime minister last week.

A former career diplomat, Zeidan defected in 1980 while he was serving at the Libyan embassy in India, and spent the next three decades in exile.

He was a member of the opposition National Front for the Salvation of Libya, established in 1981 by dissidents abroad, before becoming a Geneva-based advocate for human rights in Libya.

(english.alarabiya.net / 14.10.2012)