Mohamed Bahroun, a militia leader who supports the Government of National Unity (GNU) led by Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba, said that he “would not hesitate to go to war, even if it cost me my nearest and dearest.”
Bahroun, nicknamed Al- Far (the Mouse), said “There is no good in war and from whoever calls for it. We will not be among its advocates; but if we are dragged into one, we would not hesitate to fight.”
Notably, the Chief of the Libyan Intelligence Service, Hussein Al-Ayeb appointed Al-Far as Head of the Anti-Terrorism Office in the western region.
Al-Far is wanted by the Attorney General on terrorism charges. He was involved in several deadly armed clashes with other militias in the west of the country.
A source noted that the agency’s “documents, reports, and secret work in the western region have been blown by the wind.” He added that a number of officers who worked on counter-terrorism intend to resign after Al-Ayeb’s decision.
Al-Far had recently been appointed as the Head of the criminal investigation department at the Al-Zawiya Police Department.
Al-Zawiya has been subject to intermittent clashes between various militias fighting over areas of influence and smuggling routes.
In May 2021, Al-Far threatened to expel the Presidential Council after Mohamed Al-Mnifi decided to dismiss Emad Trabelsi, and appoint Al-Ayeb.
In August 2021, violent armed clashes erupted, at dawn, between Al-Far and the Stability Support Apparatus (SSA) in Tripoli. The clashes resulted in the injury of four fighters, and the destruction of a number of vehicles.
It was reported that medium and heavy weapons were used in these clashes. Videos circulating on social media showed the firing of grenades and rocket-propelled grenades (RPG) from both sides.
In November, clashes with heavy weapons erupted again between Al-Far, and the SSA. The clashes took place at the entrance to the city of Al-Zawiya, after the killing of a member of the SSA.