26 December – 1 January: Directors of security in Tripoli and Benghazi meet to discuss unification

Jan 1, 2019 | Libyan actors

On 29 December, the Director of Tripoli security, Brigadier Salem Qraimida, and security director of Benghazi, Brigadier General Adel Abdulaziz al-Arifi, met at the Tibesti Hotel in Benghazi to discuss the unification of national security efforts. This coincided with a statement from the head of the security information office at the eastern-based Interim Government’s Interior Ministry, Tareq al-Kharraz, stating that the Interim Government’s Interior Minister Ibrahim Bushnaf and Government of National Accord Interior Minister Fathi Bashaagha had begun initiatives to unify security efforts “… on all Libya’s soil”. Kharraz confirmed that Brigadier Qraimida would lead the committee to unify security efforts. It has also been reported that an agreement was made, though unsigned at this time, that will ensure the two groups are removed from political conflict and see a shared criminal and passport monitoring system.

On 27 December, a Chadian rebel militia attacked the Libyan National Army’s (LNA) 10th Brigades headquarters, leaving one dead and 12 more wounded at Taraghin (or Traghen), 400 km north of the Chad border in southern Libya. The 10th Brigades deputy commander, Jumua Thabet was amongst those wounded. As many as eight people were reported kidnapped, but this has not been confirmed by the LNA. Following the attack, the Chadian fighters retreated to the town of Ghaduwah, between Sebha and Taraghin. On 28 December, LNA aircraft launched from Kufra Airport to undertake night sorties against Chadian militias.