In the final days of August in Libya, fierce fighting erupted in Tripoli between the partnering 7th Brigade and a coalition of militias comprised of the Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade, Bab Tajoura Brigade, Ghanewa Brigade, Nawasi Brigade and Misrata’s 301 brigade (Libya Observer, 31 August 2018). The invasion by the 7th Brigade took the Tripoli-based militias by surprise. The Government of National Accord’s (GNA) response reportedly included airstrikes on Tarhouna where the 7th Brigade is based, which is believed to have prompted protests against the GNA — itself still struggling to staunch the 7th Brigade’s advances. The potential for new militias (whether newly formed, formerly moribund, or defecting from government-affiliated forces) to mobilize and attempt to extend their influence to Tripoli represents a grave threat to the stability of the city and to Libya generally; given the number and characteristics of newly active militias, it is likely that the security landscape will continue to fragment as the year progresses.
Since launching the attack on Tripoli, the 7th Brigade appears to have brokered an alliance with the Sumood Brigade and is seeking to expand its influence to Tripoli (Libya Observer, 1 September 2018). The GNA has declared a State of Emergency in Tripoli — though it remains unclear what such a designation implies, and the GNA’s ability to impose any security agenda has been called into serious question (Al Jazeera, 2 September 2018).
