Libya Situation Update: 09–10 January
- 09 JAN: An ambulance SVBIED was detonated in the Dafniya area northwest of Misrata. Reports indicate that the vehicle was hailed by security forces and the driver attempted to escape before detonating the explosives. (Twitter)(Twitter)(Libya Observer)(Libya TV 24)(Twitter)
2. 09 JAN: Members of the GNA Presidential Council including Faiz Serraj, were heavily harassed during their visit to Zliten. The delegation was greeted by angry protesters when they arrived from Tunis to Misrata and gunmen attacked the convoy after they left the bombing site. Serraj and his retinue hid in the Zliten Municipal Building for hours before they could secure a safe route back to Misrata. (Twitter)(Libya Observer)
3. 09–10 JAN: Members of the Sharshara tribe clashed with the Joint Force in Surman following a kidnapping incident. The Rada militias arrested suspects who may be affiliated with the Tiger Militia. Clashes continued on 10 January between Libya Dawn militias and the kidnapping gang with at least 2 casualties among the Libya Dawn forces. The gang, led by members of the al-Nimr family, took roughly 30 hostages in their compound. (Libya Observer)(Libya Herald)(Afrigate)(al-Wasat)(Afrigate)(Twitter)(Libya TV 24)(al-Wasat)(al-Wasat)(Libya Herald)
4. 09 JAN: A VBIED exploded on Omar al-Mukhtar Street in downtown Tripoli, causing damage to surrounding shops but no casualties. No group has claimed responsibility, but the attack was likely carried out by IS. (Afrigate)(Twitter)(Twitter)(Libya News 1)
5. 09 JAN: Security forces disarmed a VBIED in front of the College of Sciences at Marqub University in Khoms. Additional reporting indicates unidentified “extremists” briefly broke into the university and threatened to blow it up, before surrounding a police station in the al-Khamis Market in Khoms. (al-Wasat)(al-Wasat)(Akhbar Libya 24)
6. 10 JAN: The United Arab Emirates delivered 100 light armored vehicles to the LNA. (Libya Observer)
7. 10 JAN: IS launched a failed amphibious attack on the Zueitinia Oil Terminal, near Ajdabiya. Three boats attempted to land near the facility, but the assault was repelled by PFG troops. (Libya Observer)(Reuters)(al-Wasat)
8. 10 JAN: Clashed erupted between Tebu and Tuareg fighters in Ubari after Tebu forces attacked the the city using heavy weapons. At least four were reported killed and an additional five wounded in the clashes. The fighting comes despite ongoing ceasefire negotiations taking place in the nearby city of Sabha. The GNA has condemned the fighting. (Fezzan Libya Media Group)(Fezzan Media Group)(Fezzan Libya Media Group)(LPC)(Libya Herald)
9. 10 JAN: The Benghazi Municipal Council invited the GNA Presidential Council to visit the city and offered to serve as the seat of the new government. (al-Wasat)(Twitter)(al-Wasat)
10. 10 JAN: Unidentified airstrikes targeted IS positions in the city of Sirte including the Ouagadougou Conference Center. Additional air strikes targeted an IS convoy between Sirte and Ben Jawad. Both Libyan governments have denied carrying out the attack, and reports indicate that French aircraft may have participated. (Reuters)(Libya News 1)(Libya Channel)(Twitter)(Twitter)(Twitter)(Fezzan Libya Media Group)(al-Wasat)
