The residence of Libya’s Prime Minister, Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, was targeted by rocket-propelled grenades last Sunday, in what appears to be a targeted attack. Thankfully, the onslaught yielded no casualties and minimal damage, according to reports from an unnamed Libyan official. As of now, no entity has made any claim of responsibility for this assault.
This act of aggression threatens to further hamper an already divided nation. The aftermath of the NATO-supported uprising in Libya brought about little stability. As a result, the country has been fragmented into factions since 2014. Presently, the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF) – previously known as the Libyan National Army, control Libya. Notably, the eastern part of the country falls under the grip of the LAAF.
The LAAF faction stands accused of committing severe human rights violations and war crimes through the utilization of the Tariq Ben Zeyad brigade (TBZ) to enforce their rule. Calls for an end to these atrocities have been heard from organizations like Amnesty International and the United Nations, with the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) notably requesting immediate cessation of all violence last year.
In 2021, a new, unified government under the leadership of Dbeibah backed by the United Nations was introduced. However, later that year, this administration lost recognition from the eastern faction. An election was slated to occur in December of the same year, however, due to disagreements over the eligibility of candidates, it was ultimately postponed.
Although there’s agreement on the need for a fresh national government, Prime Minister Dbeibah stated he would not relinquish power until an election took place. The UN’s Abdoulaye Bathily warned in February that the lack of a unified government could contribute to the further destabilization of Libya.