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Fears of Clashes Resuming Between Militias in Tripoli

Members of the armed militias in the city of Sirte (AP)
Members of the armed militias in the city of Sirte (AP)
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Fears of Clashes Resuming Between Militias in Tripoli

Members of the armed militias in the city of Sirte (AP)
Members of the armed militias in the city of Sirte (AP)

Controversial movements of some armed militias affiliated with Fayez al-Sarraj’s Government of National Accord (GNA) in the capital, Tripoli, have raised fears of a new wave of clashes.

Head of the so-called Tripoli Revolutionaries Brigade (TRB) Haithem Tajouri has recently launched a verbal attack on the GNA and its loyal forces describing it as a weak government.

His comments seemed to be in response to GNA Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha’s earlier attempts to control the entrances and exits of the capital.

Tajouri demanded that he be informed of whoever wants to enter Tripoli, whether patrols or any deployed force in the city.

Meanwhile, military commanders from the GNA-affiliated “Volcano of Rage” operation said TRB was on a state of alert.

Local residents have also noticed the sudden and unexplained repositioning of some militias in Tripoli during the past two days.

Local media have reported the appearance of the smuggler who has been sanctioned by the UN Security Council and is wanted by the Attorney General, Mohammed Kachlaf, beside GNA Defense Minister Salah el-Din Al-Namroush during his recent visit to the headquarters of the Petroleum Facilities Guard.

Kachlaf’s appearance after the arrest of his partner, Abd al-Rahman al-Milad in Tripoli in mid-October, raises questions on the engagement of the GNA Ministry of Interior in battles against militias.

Kachlaf has been controlling the Zawiya refinery for years. He is described as one of the rich and masters of smuggling in the western coastal regions, knowing that he commands militias affiliated with the Petroleum Facilities Guard. He is enlisted on the UN Security Council sanctions list, which includes travel bans and freezing of funds.

Namroush also employed an ISIS member after the Ministry of Defense assigned Mohammed Balaam to manage and follow up the exchange of detainees and corpses, in cooperation with the ministry’s permanent committee for humanitarian affairs, knowing that he had previously participated in the battles waged by extremists against the Libyan National Army (LNA) forces in Benghazi before his escape to Tripoli.

Spokesperson for the GNA Sirte and al-Jufrah operations room Brigadier General Abdul Hadi Dara has claimed that a member of the Sudanese “Janjaweed” militia was shot dead by the townspeople on Abu Hadi Island after attempting to rob a house.

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Aoun Wants Formation of ‘Consensual’ Lebanese Govt Representing All Components

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
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Aoun Wants Formation of ‘Consensual’ Lebanese Govt Representing All Components

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is advocating the formation of a government of “consensus” that includes representatives from all political factions.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam has requested that parliamentary blocs submit non-partisan nominees for ministerial positions, emphasizing that they must not belong to any political party.

Aoun stressed on Tuesday that all components of society have the right to be represented in the government, parliament and public administration, as this is already practiced in the army.

“We have significant opportunities that we hope to seize by uniting all elements of Lebanese society—civil, spiritual, and political. Together, we can rebuild our nation,” he declared.

Highlighting the importance of meeting international expectations, Aoun hoped for the rapid formation of a government to achieve political, economic, and security stability, which would allow citizens “to live with dignity, not merely in relative comfort.”

During meetings with professional delegations at the Presidential Palace, Aoun said: “We are at a crossroads. Either we take advantage of the current circumstances and rise above sectarian, religious, and political divisions, or we head in a different direction and bear full responsibility for failing to fulfill our duties.”

Negotiations between Aoun, Salam, and political factions over the formation of a government are ongoing. The discussions, which kicked off last week, have reportedly made progress, with efforts directed toward expediting the government formation process, issuing decrees, preparing a ministerial statement, and securing its vote of confidence from lawmakers.

While the Shiite duo of Hezbollah and the Amal Movement appear to have finalized their proposed nominees for the government, disagreements over the ministerial statement remain.

MP Waddah Sadek, who is backed by the opposition, firmly rejected the inclusion of the “Army, People, Resistance” term in the statement. He declared: “No ‘blocking third’ in the government, and no unconstitutional gimmicks. The slogan of the new phase in Lebanon should be: the ‘Army, People, and State.’”

The Kataeb Party echoed this stance, stressing that Lebanon, emerging from a devastating war between Hezbollah and Israel, must align with the Aoun’s inaugural speech and Salam’s remarks by ensuring the ministerial statement exclusively underscores the state’s monopoly over arms and the defense of the nation.

“The government must act decisively, dismantle militias, strictly enforce the ceasefire, and uphold its provisions across all Lebanese territory,” it demanded.

The Kataeb Party also urged Aoun and Salam to resist the “great extortion” by Hezbollah and Amal to secure specific ministries or positions, in violation of the inaugural speech, calling instead for the application of uniform standards to ensure the government’s success.

Meanwhile, Hezbollah adopted a more confrontational tone.

MP Hussein Hajj Hassan, a member of Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc, commented: “To those betting on Hezbollah’s weakness or the weakness of the Hezbollah-Amal alliance, what will you say when the government is formed? What will you say when you realize the strength of Hezbollah, the alliance, and the resistance’s supporters across all segments of Lebanese society? What will you say when you see the unwavering determination and unity of the resistance at every critical juncture?”