On Wednesday, the Prime Minister of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez Al-Sarraj, held a meeting with the General Intelligence Service Chief, and other security officials to discuss the ongoing protests in Tripoli.
In a statement, the GNA’s media office said that the meeting tackled the protests that have rocked the capital. During the meeting, Al-Sarraj highlighted the need to adopt security control measures to ensure the safety of citizens.
The meeting also dealt with the security situation in the country, and the repercussions of COVID-19, which has rapidly spread throughout the nation. Therefore, the participants to the meeting emphasized the need for the full and strict implementation of the recommendations set by the specialised medical committees, as well as full adherence to the government’s preventive and precautionary measures, in order to stop the spread of the virus.
The meeting was attended by the Undersecretary of the Interior Ministry, the Undersecretary of the Defence Ministry, the Commanders of the military regions, the Commander of the Counter-Terrorism Force, the Commander of the Joint Force, the Deputy Head of the Internal Security Agency, the Commander of the Security Division in the Joint Force, and the Director of Tripoli’s Security.
For the fourth day in a row, hundreds of young Libyans rallied in Tripoli to decry deteriorating living conditions and corruption, amid a heavy security presence. They also demanded the GNA to be replaced. Sources confirmed that widespread arbitrary arrests of protesters took place during the overnight demonstrations. These demonstrations took place even after Al-Sarraj sought to appease protesters on Monday, by announcing a cabinet reshuffle.
On Monday, the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) called for an immediate and a thorough investigation into the excessive use of force by the security personnel. Libya has endured almost a decade of violent chaos since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed Muammar Gaddafi. The country is plagued by water shortages and power blackouts, worsening during the searing summer heat.