HNEC Urges Politicians to ‘Pave Way’ for Elections in Libya

The meeting of the High National Elections Commission in Libya, Tripoli. (HNEC)
The meeting of the High National Elections Commission in Libya, Tripoli. (HNEC)
TT

HNEC Urges Politicians to ‘Pave Way’ for Elections in Libya

The meeting of the High National Elections Commission in Libya, Tripoli. (HNEC)
The meeting of the High National Elections Commission in Libya, Tripoli. (HNEC)

The High National Elections Commission (HNEC) reiterated its readiness to implement the electoral laws, urging political parties to complete the requirements to hold the elections during the period determined by the constitutional amendment.

In a statement on Monday, the HNEC stressed that it operates independently and does not represent any political authority.

The Commission further lauded the efforts of the Joint 6+6 Committee and urged all parties to work together to hold the long-awaited “historic and fateful” polls.

President of the High Council of StateMohamed Takala held talks in Tripli on Sunday with head of HNEC Imad Al-Sayeh about the challenges that facing the commission and the elections and ways to overcome them.

The officials tackled the position of the High Council of State on the outcomes of the 6+6 Committee talks. The council had committed to the agreements reached in Morocco’s Bouznika and considered any amendment after that to be a violation of the Constitutional Declaration and law.

Takala stressed the need for the Commission to adhere to the Constitutional Declaration and what the parliament and council had agree upon in all impartiality.

Meanwhile, head of the Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah announced that the Tripoli International Airport would be reopened in mid-2024.

He made his remarks at an aviation seminar organized by the Ministry of Transportation.

Also on Sunday, Dbeibah discussed economic and political cooperation during a meeting with Turkish Ambassador to Libya, Kenan Yilmaz. He thanked Türkiye for its efforts in supporting the Libyans after the devastating floods in the east.

He also met with Italian Ambassador to Libya Gianluca Alberini for talks on bilateral economic cooperation, and the opening of new flight routes between Libya and Italy.

Alberini confirmed that Alitalia will launch its flights toward Tripoli at the end of November.

During the meeting, Dbeibah received an invitation from Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to attend the Africa-Italy Conference that will be held in Rome in November.

The meeting also tackled preparations to hold a meeting in Tripoli at the level of the interior ministers of the two countries to discuss the results of the recent meetings in Rome regarding illegal migration.



Syria’s Military Operations Command Targets Warlords, Associates of Asma al-Assad

Photos of the missing hang on the main gate of Saydnaya prison, north Damascus (AFP)
Photos of the missing hang on the main gate of Saydnaya prison, north Damascus (AFP)
TT

Syria’s Military Operations Command Targets Warlords, Associates of Asma al-Assad

Photos of the missing hang on the main gate of Saydnaya prison, north Damascus (AFP)
Photos of the missing hang on the main gate of Saydnaya prison, north Damascus (AFP)

Detainees at Hama Central Prison, who surrendered or were captured during battles that toppled Assad regime positions, will face trial on Thursday, a UK-based war monitor reported.
According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), trials will be held in batches.
A judicial committee linked to the Justice Ministry of the interim government formed by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) will handle the cases, SOHR director Rami Abdul Rahman told Asharq Al-Awsat.
The “Military Command Administration” is carrying out raids in Syria’s coastal regions, Hama, and Homs to arrest warlords accused of profiting from the conflict, the SOHR reported.
The campaign targets figures tied to regime leaders, including associates of Asma al-Assad, the ousted president’s wife, and former officials accused of war crimes.
The campaign is targeting officers, militias, and informants accused of crimes against Syrians, according to the SOHR.
After the regime’s collapse and intensified fighting, hundreds of officers and fighters surrendered, with many now detained as prisoners of war.
The SOHR has urged treating detainees according to international laws, allowing them to contact their families, and ensuring fair trials before independent courts.
The organization also called for convicted individuals to be informed of legal procedures and the timelines for each step.

The White Helmets have uncovered around 20 unidentified bodies and skeletal remains in a drug warehouse near the Sayyida Zainab area in Damascus, Syrian Civil Defense official Ammar Al-Salmo said on Wednesday.
Sayyida Zainab, a southern Damascus district, was a Hezbollah and Iranian-backed militia stronghold since 2012. These groups claimed to defend the site during Syria’s uprising. According to AFP, they have now been replaced by local armed groups.
Al-Salmo, speaking near the shrine, said, “We received reports of foul odors and remains in the warehouse.”
A small refrigerator held about 10 decomposed bodies, with bones and skulls scattered across the room.
The remains, believed to be 1-2 years old, were collected for DNA testing.
Bashar al-Assad fled Syria on December 8 after opposition forces led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham launched a rapid offensive, ending 13 years of his regime’s oppression of opposition protests.
The SOHR reported that military authorities are prosecuting individuals linked to war crimes under public pressure for justice and to prevent acts of personal retribution. Accountability for crimes remains a core demand of the Syrian revolution.