In Zintan, a city in the mountains of northwestern Libya, protestors have called for the removal of the Government of National Unity (GNU) led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbaiba. The protestors carried images of Abdul Hamid Dbaiba along with Ali Dbaiba and his son Ibrahim Dbaiba, signalling a protest against their leadership.
Attributed to a group self-identified as the “Zintan Revolutionaries,” the protestors criticized the Dbaiba government, accusing it of betraying the Libyan people and attempting to engage in normalization with Israel. They also emphasized a commitment to challenge corrupt practices and end nepotism, calling for the replacement of the current administration.
This act of protest in Zintan is indicative of the ongoing political divisions and instability in Libya, which has struggled with internal conflict since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The GNU, under Abdul Hamid Dbaiba’s leadership, was established in March 2021 via a UN-led initiative aimed at unifying the country and steering it towards elections. Despite these efforts, the government has faced criticism regarding its legitimacy and accusations of corruption.
The protestors’ focus on nepotism and the highlighting of the Dbaiba family point to concerns over the concentration of power and resources within a single family, reflecting broader grievances within Libyan political discourse.
The demonstrations in Zintan underscore the persistent divisions and challenges within Libya’s political landscape, emphasizing the need for diplomatic efforts to establish a genuinely inclusive and democratic governance framework.
