Speaking at yesterday’s 2nd Ordinary Cabinet Meeting of 2025 held at Tripoli’s Al-Nasser Woods Complex (formerly Rixos Complex), Tripoli based Libyan Prime Minister, Abd Alhamid Aldabaiba, said that the recent security operations (clashes with the Stability Support Apparatus (SSA) militia and Abdelraouf Kara’s Special Deterrence Force (SDF) / RADA, and their allies), were successful.
He blamed the subsequent disorder, fear and damage caused by these clashes and counter-clashes on the militias.
Aldabaiba also called on the Attorney General, the Audit Bureau, and the Administrative Control Authority to investigate the over LD 100 billion of parallel spending by the eastern Libyan administration.
This parallel spending, he warned will increase inflation, cost of living and reduce the foreign exchange value of the Libyan dinar. It will lead to the economic ruin of Libya, he warned.
Security initiative
Aldabaiba hailed the Ministry of Interior and the Ministry of Defence for their role in imposing security on behalf of the legitimate state. He stressed that the people support state security and not unaccountable militias and that he had received wide international support for the recent anti-militia security operation.
On the other hand, he criticised, domestically and internationally, those who supported these militias – implying Hafter and the eastern Libyan administration – militias that engage in illegal activity including illegal detention and imprisonment.
Demobilisation of militias, Interior Ministry and Presidency Council forces
Speaking at the prompting of his PM on planned security reforms, Acting Interior Minister Imad Trabelsi bemoaned the fact that militias were better armed and stronger (and actually more battle experienced due to their fighting in the February 2011 revolution) than the official Interior Ministry forces.
He said there can be no state without security and proposed (to applause from the PM and cabinet members) the demobilization of militias and some Interior Ministry and Presidency Council forces. The plan to demobilise even some Interior Ministry forces implies, and simultaneous confirms, if needed, that some Interior Ministry forces were infiltrated and controlled by militias.
He called on all current members of these forces intended for demobilisation to join the Interior Ministry or the Defence Ministry if they wished to continue their careers in the security forces. Interjecting, the PM also vowed to demobilise any security forces under his Office.
Continuing, Trabelsi said how can Interior Ministry forces operate and respond to government calls for help and intervention if there are forces operating in the field that are stronger. Trabelsi said how can he be held responsible and accountable if there are other stronger forces operating in the field.
Interjecting during Trabelsi’s speech again, Aldabaiba stressed that this is the state’s project that will be implemented. He warned militias hiding behind tribes and cities, saying that time was over.
The Libyan people want a strong state
Aldabaiba said the Libyan people want a strong state. He said militias must not be feared and that there is no going back (to a state dominated by militias). There is no other option, he stressed, we must impose the state on them.
Militia coercion of Ministers
Aldabaiba pointed to various ministers (which the cameras refrained from showing), implying that they were coerced to make decisions by militias. ‘‘No more coercion of Ministers or Ministries like the coercion of the Minister of Health (who is currently under arrest) into importing medicine from a non-medicine origination country (Iraq)’’
Aldabaiba revealed that militias even interfered in the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. He vowed to refer them to investigation after the pilgrimage is over.
He warned his attentive Ministers that there will be no more excuses for them and their officials for giving into militia coercion. Those who cannot perform their jobs (due to militia coercion) should resign, he stated. We will no longer keep quiet on militia coercion, he vowed. We will pursue those who do not give in the state, he explained.
Resuming his speech, Interior Minister Trabelsi said his ministry was following up on all crimes from 2012, whether criminal or financial, and referring them to the Attorney General’s Office. To which Aldabaiba added ‘‘we will not protect any Minister or his employees against the law’’.
