12 December – 18 December: LNA deploy more forces to the Oil Crescent

Dec 18, 2018 | Libyan actors

Over the last week, the Libyan National Army (LNA) deployed a significant amount of forces to the Oil Crescent in response to reports that Ibrahim Jadhran may lead an assault on oil facilities. Patrols have extended to al-Mabruk oil field, Zillah, and all the way to Abu Njeem in the Jufra region.

On 15 December, the LNA deployed additional troops to support their Greater Sirte Operation Room and to the Abu Najem area east of Sirte.

On 15 December, Commander of the Janzour Knights militia (aka Fursan Janzour) Salah al-Maragani was critically wounded by unknown assailants in southern Tripoli. Following the attack, UNSMIL released a statement condemning the assassination attempt and called for an end to the “gang-style” targeted killings.

On 12 December, the Security Information Unit Tripoli Branch announced that it had begun enacting new joint security operations in Tripoli as defined by the Director of the General Directorate of Central Security. This has seen the creation of multiple new units: the Rapid Intervention Force, the Tripoli Administration Branch, and the Checkpoint Security Branch.

On 13 December, the head of the Government of National Accord (GNA) Fayez al-Serraj inaugurated three recently refurbished police training facilities in Tripoli: the Police College, Police Technical School, and Judicial Police Training Institute. Additionally, the GNA launched a programme to train more than 1,800 police officers.