Dbeibeh Accuses Local Parties of Seeking New War in Libya

 Libya’s PM Abdulhamid Dbeibehtouring Tajoura city (government media office)
Libya’s PM Abdulhamid Dbeibehtouring Tajoura city (government media office)
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Dbeibeh Accuses Local Parties of Seeking New War in Libya

 Libya’s PM Abdulhamid Dbeibehtouring Tajoura city (government media office)
Libya’s PM Abdulhamid Dbeibehtouring Tajoura city (government media office)

Prime Minister of Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdulhamid Dbeibeh accused local parties of seeking to reignite war by disrupting public services and electricity.

Several Libyan areas suffered sudden power cut on Friday, prompting Dbeibeh to inspect the General Electricity Company.

The PM stressed that his government will spare no effort in providing electric power, facilitating financial procedures and concluding new contracts.

He urged citizens to protect the electric power grid and ordered the Interior Minister to open a probe into the matter in all affected areas.

He further called for connecting the power grids in eastern and western Libya, noting that this could only be implemented by opening the coastal road between Sirte and Misrata cities.

The General Electricity Company had announced a complete power outage for two consecutive days in the eastern region and in most of the western region areas due to an explosion.

The company later said that 90 percent of the power plants had been restored.

In a visit to Tajoura city in Tripoli, Dbeibeh stressed that those who “ignite war, cause power cuts, create problems in the queues outside gas stations and prevent us from communicating with people across Libya are the enemies of the Libyan people.”

He warned of whom he described as “war merchants,” stressing that many have amassed their fortune from this war.

Dbeibeh said his foreign tours are aimed at restoring Libya’s unity and sovereignty and expelling mercenaries.

Some sources interpreted his comments as an escalation in his silent dispute with Marshall Khalifa Haftar in eastern Libya.

“We couldn’t access Sirte Airport, which belongs to Libya and is on Libyan soil, because of the foreign forces present there,” Dbeibeh said.

He added that the forces stationed in the area asked them to enter Sirte by road, “but the government refused.”

Notably, Dbeibeh postponed a visit to the country’s east that had been planned for April 26 to demonstrate his government’s progress in ending years of division between warring factions.



EU Exploring Support for New Gaza Administration Committee, Document Says

Palestinians push a cart past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the two-year Israeli offensives, in Gaza City, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Palestinians push a cart past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the two-year Israeli offensives, in Gaza City, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
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EU Exploring Support for New Gaza Administration Committee, Document Says

Palestinians push a cart past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the two-year Israeli offensives, in Gaza City, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa
Palestinians push a cart past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the two-year Israeli offensives, in Gaza City, February 17, 2026. REUTERS/Mahmoud Issa

The European Union is exploring possible support for a new committee established to take over the civil administration of Gaza, according to a document produced by the bloc's diplomatic arm and seen by Reuters.

"The EU is engaging with the newly established transitional governance structures for Gaza," the European External Action Service wrote in a document circulated to member states on Tuesday.

"The EU is also exploring possible support to the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza," it added.

European foreign ministers will discuss the situation in Gaza during a meeting in Brussels on February 23.


Israel Military Says Soldier Killed in Gaza 

A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighborhood, after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City, October 21, 2025. (Reuters)
A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighborhood, after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City, October 21, 2025. (Reuters)
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Israel Military Says Soldier Killed in Gaza 

A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighborhood, after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City, October 21, 2025. (Reuters)
A drone view shows the destruction in a residential neighborhood, after the withdrawal of the Israeli forces from the area, amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, in Gaza City, October 21, 2025. (Reuters)

The Israeli military announced that one of its soldiers had been killed in combat in southern Gaza on Wednesday, but a security source said the death appeared to have been caused by "friendly fire".

"Staff Sergeant Ofri Yafe, aged 21, from HaYogev, a soldier in the Paratroopers Reconnaissance Unit, fell during combat in the southern Gaza Strip," the military said in a statement.

A security source, however, told AFP that the soldier appeared to have been "killed by friendly fire", without providing further details.

"The incident is still under investigation," the source added.

The death brings to five the number of Israeli soldiers killed in Gaza since a ceasefire took effect on October 10.


Syria: SDF’s Mazloum Abdi Says Implementation of Integration Deal May Take Time

People sit outdoors surrounded by nature, with the Tigris river flowing in the background, following a long atmospheric depression, near the Syrian-Turkish border in Derik, Syria, February 16, 2026 REUTERS/Orhan Qereman
People sit outdoors surrounded by nature, with the Tigris river flowing in the background, following a long atmospheric depression, near the Syrian-Turkish border in Derik, Syria, February 16, 2026 REUTERS/Orhan Qereman
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Syria: SDF’s Mazloum Abdi Says Implementation of Integration Deal May Take Time

People sit outdoors surrounded by nature, with the Tigris river flowing in the background, following a long atmospheric depression, near the Syrian-Turkish border in Derik, Syria, February 16, 2026 REUTERS/Orhan Qereman
People sit outdoors surrounded by nature, with the Tigris river flowing in the background, following a long atmospheric depression, near the Syrian-Turkish border in Derik, Syria, February 16, 2026 REUTERS/Orhan Qereman

Mazloum Abdi, commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, said the process of merging the SDF with Syrian government forces “may take some time,” despite expressing confidence in the eventual success of the agreement.

His remarks came after earlier comments in which he acknowledged differences with Damascus over the concept of “decentralization.”

Speaking at a tribal conference in the northeastern city of Hasakah on Tuesday, Abdi said the issue of integration would not be resolved quickly, but stressed that the agreement remains on track.

He said the deal reached last month stipulates that three Syrian army brigades will be created out of the SDF.

Abdi added that all SDF military units have withdrawn to their barracks in an effort to preserve stability and continue implementing the announced integration agreement with the Syrian state.

He also emphasized the need for armed forces to withdraw from the vicinity of the city of Ayn al-Arab (Kobani), to be replaced by security forces tasked with maintaining order.