Kidnappings, drugs and a haven for terrorism… Who is tampering with southern Libya?

The military operation received popular support from tribes and notables in southern Libya, to get rid of the manifestations of chaos and lawlessness, especially the so-called “116 militia”, which is the spearhead in most of the problems of the south.

What do you know about the 116th militia?

That militia, which bears the name 116, began to appear in 2014, and after the head of that militia, Masoud Gedi, fought with the alliance of terrorist “Libya Dawn” militias against the forces of the National Army, he destroyed and besieged the Libyan capital that year.

Masoud Gedi has a criminal record in the south; From kidnappings, extortion, ransom demands, and harboring extremist elements, he has close ties to a number of militias in the capital, Tripoli, especially the so-called deterrence militia, the most ferocious, led by Abdel Raouf Kara.

The number of that militia, which is in control of southern Libya, is approximately 1,200 militants and mercenaries, as smuggling operations are active in that region, in addition to the presence of a number of al-Qaeda and ISIS terrorist elements.

According to the sources, this militia depends for its financing on drug smuggling and illegal immigration, and African mercenaries represent a large part of the 116th Militia, which was later called the so-called “anti-terrorist” force, in an attempt to formally control the capabilities of the south.

Speaking about this militia, the military analyst, Muhammad al-Tarhouni, said that this militia has been working dramatically for months in order to strike the unity of southern Libya, and divide the ranks between tribes and notables.

Al-Tarhouni added in an interview with “Sky News Arabia”, that this militia works on a daily basis to loot the resources of the south and impose royalties, in addition to working to provide a safe haven for terrorist and criminal elements; It even reached the point of having training camps for those elements.

Al-Tarhouni explained that the militia, which bears the name 116, is being used as a pressure card by parties in the capital, Tripoli; To marginalize the south, and control it to become the backyard of all suspicious and terrorist operations.

Sebha events

The south of Libya suffers from the presence of this militia, which has caused the deterioration of the situation and the lack of services, and the continuation of crises, especially the fuel and gas crisis and the collapse of infrastructure.

The residents of the southern region also live in a state of constant security anxiety. At the beginning of last December, the army thwarted the militia’s attempt to storm the military intelligence headquarters and other army sites and outposts, in order to expel them and control them, and they were used in the clashes that shook the city of Sabha and lasted for several hours. heavy weapons.

Regarding the recent events in Sebha, the Libyan politician, Salem Al-Barjawi, said that this militia has one goal that it seeks to achieve, which is the marginalization of the Libyan south, and this is evident in its recent moves.

Al-Barjawi praised, during his statements to “Sky News Arabia”, the position of the city’s notables and sheikhs in their intervention to prevent any attempt to plunge the south into chaos, warning against the growing role of the militia and the recruitment of mercenaries, especially Africans, in that region.

The Libyan politician continued: “The vast area of ​​southern Libya has made it a haven for terrorists such as ISIS and Al-Qaeda, and elements of Boko Haram who were transferred to Libya to obtain training to spread chaos in the African Sahel region.”

The number of African terrorists in Libya is more than 25,000, most of them are concentrated in the south of the country, where the 116 militia provides training and funding for these and launch terrorist operations.

In the same context, Al-Tarhouni explained that the recent events in Sebha were contributed to by the weakness of the government in the south, which reached the point of coordination with the militias, as happened by the city’s security director during the militia’s clashes with the army forces.

The south of Libya is a border triangle with Chad and Sudan, which in the past ten years has turned into an “important” corridor for arms smuggling and human trafficking, and has become one of the most important outlets for illegal immigration to Europe.