Libyan PM Meets CIA Chief in Tripoli

On Thursday, the Prime Minister of Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba held a meeting with the Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), William Burns who is currently on a surprise visit to Libya.

The visit is the first by a CIA Director to Libya, since the 2012 attack against the US Consulate in Benghazi, which killed the US Ambassador and three other staff members.

In a statement, the GNU’s media office stated that Burns “stressed the need to develop economic and security cooperation between the US and Libya, praising the state of stability and growth witnessed by the country during the recent period.”

On his part, Dbaiba emphasised, “Our goal is to stabilise our country, and support it internationally in order to reach elections,” the statement read.

Foreign Minister, Najla Al-Mangoush, Intelligence Chief, Hussein Al-Aeb, and the Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Adel Gomaa were also present at the meeting.

Last month, a Libyan national accused of making the bomb that took down Pan Am flight 103 in 1988, appeared in a US court, after being extradited by the GNU. The move sparked public backlash against the Tripoli-based government, which is challenged by a rival government in the war-torn country’s east.

Alleged former intelligence agent, Abu Ajila Masoud could face life in prison if convicted of “destruction of an aircraft resulting in death” and two other related charges over the attack.

Dbaiba has faced bitter criticism from political rivals, rights groups, and relatives of Libyan detainees, who fear being handed over themselves. Analysts say the Tripoli-based administration had little option but to adhere to the American request.

Libyan media reported that Burns also travelled to Benghazi, where he met with Khalifa Haftar, General Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA).

Burns, who has been the CIA chief since March 2021, visited Libya in 2014 as Under-Secretary of State for the Middle East. He was the first US official to visit the country when Washington began mending ties with the regime of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi, in 2004.