Dabaiba looking to invoke a Rada response

Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dabaiba now appears more confident in his position in Tripoli, publicly announcing his demands in a media interview and targeting protest leaders and activists, while the Attorney General has ordered arrest warrants for 172 members of the Rada Special Deterrence Forces.

Dabaiba is likely hoping these efforts will provoke a reaction from Rada, as the prime minister wants to portray his government as the victim. It is now uncertain whether Rada will attack first, not wanting to fall into a trap, and if they do not attack, it remains equally unclear whether Dabaiba will then decide to take the initiative, leaving the capital in a tense standoff.

A closer look

Tensions in the city have dramatically increased following international warnings and aggressive actions. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) warned all armed parties in the city to refrain from using force, as reports continue of a military buildup around Tripoli. This followed a series of provocative moves by Dabaiba during a media interview, in which he publicly delivered his demands not to resume the conflict against Rada.

The demands included Rada handing over important infrastructure such as Mitiga Airport, the release of prisoners in Rada custody, and the surrender of Rada officials wanted by the International Criminal Court (ICC), including Judicial Police commander Osama al-Njeem. As previously reported by LIBYA DESK, these had been Dabaiba’s private demands for weeks and were consistently rejected by Rada. This is the first time Dabaiba has made these demands public.