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Divide Widens in Libya over Parliament Meetings in Benghazi, Ghadames

Speaker Aguila Saleh. (Reuters file photo)
Speaker Aguila Saleh. (Reuters file photo)
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Divide Widens in Libya over Parliament Meetings in Benghazi, Ghadames

Speaker Aguila Saleh. (Reuters file photo)
Speaker Aguila Saleh. (Reuters file photo)

The east-based Libyan parliament renewed on Saturday its call on members to convene on Monday at the legislature’s constitutional headquarters in Benghazi.

The move is believed to be an attempt to thwart efforts to oust Speaker Aguila Saleh ahead of a parliament meeting scheduled for the city of Ghadames in the west.

The scheduling of the meeting in Ghadames had revealed divisions among the Benghazi parliament.

This is the second time in a week that the lawmakers are asked to meet in Benghazi. A meeting was convened last week, but the majority of members did not attend. They instead took part in a parliament meeting in Ghadames.

That meeting failed in resolving legal obstacles impeding the ouster of Saleh and appointing a replacement.

Separately, Government of National Accord Defense Minister Salah al-Namroush threatened to withdraw GNA representatives from the joint military committee meetings.

He said the delegates would quit the panel if the Libyan National Army (LNA), supported by mercenaries, continued to launch attacks in southern Libya.

The joint military committee includes representatives from the GNA and LNA. It had reached a UN-sponsored ceasefire in November.

“Should the ceasefire collapse, then the GNA is prepared to wage a military battle against (LNA commander Khalifa) Haftar,” warned Namroush.

“We reject any deal that includes Haftar and no political agreement that involves him will be struck. We adamantly refuse to involve Haftar in any future political deal,” stressed the minister.

“The GNA is ready to begin talks with the other side in order to reach a political solution on condition that Haftar is permanently marginalized,” he stated.

Meanwhile, UN acting special representative to Libya, Stephanie Williams, is set to take part on Monday in the meeting of the joint Economic Working Group that was formed during the Berlin conference earlier this year.

The meeting, which will be held at the UN headquarters in Geneva, will include representatives of Libya’s main financial institutions and will aim to reach an agreement on economic reforms in the North African country.

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Iraq Frustrated by Iran’s Reluctance to Rein in Militias

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has cautioned leaders of the Coordination Framework about the threats facing Iraq due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran (X)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has cautioned leaders of the Coordination Framework about the threats facing Iraq due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran (X)
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Iraq Frustrated by Iran’s Reluctance to Rein in Militias

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has cautioned leaders of the Coordination Framework about the threats facing Iraq due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran (X)
Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has cautioned leaders of the Coordination Framework about the threats facing Iraq due to the escalating conflict between Israel and Iran (X)

A senior government official said Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani has warned leaders of the Coordination Framework about the “risks to Iraq” from the growing conflict between Israel and Iran.

The official added that Iran is using “deception” when asked to distance its allied militias from the war.

Political and government figures are increasingly worried that Iraq could be hit, after two Israeli soldiers were killed in a drone strike on the Golan Heights early Friday.

Speaking anonymously to Asharq Al-Awsat, the official said al-Sudani is taking steps to keep Iraq out of the conflict.

These efforts include ramping up “political mediation” to persuade militias not to involve Iraq. The prime minister “informed Coordination Framework leaders of the risks” and urged them to “act quickly.”

The official also warned that an attack is still possible, saying intelligence shows the Iraqi militias launched the strike from outside Iraq, using weapons that came from Iraqi territory.

Al-Sudani’s Mediation Efforts

The Iraqi premier has chosen mediators, approved by Iran, to negotiate with militias about the conflict and conditions for de-escalation. These three individuals have previously acted as mediators in past crises.

Last week, Asharq Al-Awsat reported that al-Sudani asked three key Shiite figures to intervene and prevent militias from getting involved in the war between Hezbollah and Israel, after reports surfaced that Israel had identified 35 Iraqi targets.

Sources confirmed that Ammar al-Hakim is among the mediators, along with two other influential Shiite leaders whose names haven’t been disclosed.

However, two Iraqi militias—likely the al-Nujaba Movement led by Akram al-Kaabi and Kataib Hezbollah led by Abu Hussein al-Hamidawi—have refused to cooperate and continue launching rocket attacks on Israel.

The Iraqi official admitted that some militias are “stubborn,” but stressed that al-Sudani knows Iraq is “at the center of the storm.”

He reportedly told leaders of the Coordination Framework, “Iraq cannot avoid a military strike if it happens, so we must stay out of the war to protect the country.”

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, in a Friday sermon, stated that “Iran’s allies in the region won’t back down,” increasing concerns that Iraqi militias tied to Iran will continue attacking Israel.

Iraqi sources also reported that the Coordination Framework has reviewed an “intelligence report” on dozens of Iraqi targets that Israel might strike or assassinate.

Government Efforts to Prevent Escalation

Al-Sudani has blocked the flow of Iraqi funds into conflict zones, unlike previous leaders, according to the official.

He has worked closely with the US and its Treasury Department to strictly monitor financial movements, often insisting that Iran uses official channels to claim its dues from Iraq.

The official also said global auditing firms are now helping Iraq’s central bank oversee financial transactions, shutting down all previous routes for illicit money flows.

Since the Gaza war began on October 7, 2023, the US told Iraq it pressured Israel not to strike Iraq, as long as Iraq stays out of the conflict, the official added.

The US doesn’t oppose Iraq’s stance of condemning Israel, supporting Lebanon and Palestine, and sending aid.

But it “won’t accept any financial or military support to militias.”

Regarding Iran’s role, the official said Tehran claims militias act independently, dodging responsibility for reining them in.