Libya's militias have become the state: Dimensions and consequences of a consolidation process

Wolfram Lacher

No 44/2023, SWP Comments from Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik (SWP), German Institute for International and Security Affairs

Abstract: The armed groups that have formed in Libya since 2011 have progressively taken over the state. They are undergoing a process of institutionalisation, and their representatives are reaching the top levels of the army, the security apparatus and the civilian government. At the same time, they are exerting massive influence over who gets key appointments and how state resources are distributed. The resulting amalgamation of private interests mixed with military units is likely to shape Libya's political and security landscapes for years to come. Since mid-2022, relations between leading military actors have been characterised by pragmatic arrangements. But they continue to harbour considerable potential for conflict as distributive conflicts can quickly lead to armed confrontation. The consolidation of private armies also diminishes the pros­pect of security sector reform. European governments should reconsider how they engage with Libya's increasingly powerful and repressive militia leaders.

Keywords: Libya; Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF); armed groups; militias; security sector reform (SSR); disarmament; demobilisation and reintegration (DDR); 444th Brigade; Khalifa Haftar; Abdelhamid Dabeiba; Abdelghani al-Kikli; Abderrauf Kara; Emad al-Trabelsi; Essam Buzriba; Faraj al-Gaim (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:zbw:swpcom:279934

DOI: 10.18449/2023C44

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