21 – 27 Mar: LNA acts to disperse or disband Salafist militia units in eastern Libya

Mar 27, 2018 | Other Jihadi Actors

On 24 March, the Salafist ‘Arrest and Investigation Units’ of Benghazi and Ajdabiya were disbanded with their respective members re-integrated into the Internal Security Organisations in their respective cities. On 23 March, Libyan National Army (LNA) leader Khalifa Haftar sent the Tarik Ben Zeyad brigade, who along with the Tawhid brigade is one of two most powerful Salafist brigades aligned to the LNA, to southern Libya. At least three Salafist battalions have been redeployed to the Oil Crescent, Kufra, and Sebha in the last few weeks. These initiatives appear to be the latest in a series of moves that have either dispersed and disbanded Salafist militia units in eastern Libya.