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Libya’s Menfi Warns FM for Committing Violation

Head of the Presidential Council of Libya Mohamed al-Menfi (Reuters)
Head of the Presidential Council of Libya Mohamed al-Menfi (Reuters)
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Libya’s Menfi Warns FM for Committing Violation

Head of the Presidential Council of Libya Mohamed al-Menfi (Reuters)
Head of the Presidential Council of Libya Mohamed al-Menfi (Reuters)

Head of the Libyan Presidential Council Mohammad al-Menfi has warned Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush, saying she committed a violation after dismissing and replacing three ambassadors and delegates.

In a message leaked to the media, Menfi asked Mangoush to refrain from such measures in the future, unless done in accordance with the law, political agreement, and the Libyan Political Dialogue Forum.

Menfi toured Sirte on Wednesday for the first time and visited a number of main streets that include shops and cafes.

Upon landing at Gardabiya International Airport, Menfi was received by a number of security and local officials including leaders of the Libyan National Army (LNA), which controls the city, as well as a number of lawmakers.

A number of Sirte residents asked the head of the Presidential Council to improve their living conditions after years of destruction and wars, according to the Libyan News Agency.

Menfi expressed hope that the unity government, chaired by Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, would address various problems in Libyan cities, especially those affected by conflict.

He pointed out that the government recently decided to establish funds for the reconstruction of destroyed cities, including Sirte.

Meanwhile, Moussa al-Kouni, a member of the Presidential Council, announced Algeria's agreement to reopen the Ghat-Ghadames border crossing with Libya.

Kouni expressed in a tweet his gratitude for Algeria's Foreign Minister Sabri Boukadoum, who ordered the re-opening of the Ghat-Ghadames crossing border, indicating that the closing of borders has made the conditions in these areas more difficult.

He said this step will contribute to resolving the conditions of the people and residents of the border areas, revealing that the Libyan FM will meet her Algerian counterpart and a number of businessmen to discuss the matter.

In turn, Dbeibah toured on Wednesday a number of municipalities of al-Jaffara and met with the mayors and residents.

The government’s media office issued a statement indicating that the meeting discussed the situation in the region, and the prime minister promised to review their needs and direct the concerned authorities to address the urgent challenges.

Dbeibah received a phone call from US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, who stressed that all aspects of the Libyan Government of National Unity should meet the deadlines and make the necessary changes to ensure a successful election.

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Fake Audio Sparks Deadly Sectarian Clashes Near Damascus

Syrian security forces secure the area following armed clashes in Jaramana town, near Damascus, Syria, 29 April 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED AL RIFAI
Syrian security forces secure the area following armed clashes in Jaramana town, near Damascus, Syria, 29 April 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED AL RIFAI
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Fake Audio Sparks Deadly Sectarian Clashes Near Damascus

Syrian security forces secure the area following armed clashes in Jaramana town, near Damascus, Syria, 29 April 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED AL RIFAI
Syrian security forces secure the area following armed clashes in Jaramana town, near Damascus, Syria, 29 April 2025. EPA/MOHAMMED AL RIFAI

Twelve people were killed in clashes that erupted early Tuesday near the town of Jaramana, a Druze-majority area on the southern outskirts of Damascus, amid rising sectarian tensions, residents and local sources said.

In a statement, residents of Jaramana condemned what they described as prior “sectarian incitement” that preceded the violence. They warned against “falling into the trap of sedition, which serves only the enemies of Syria and its unity.”

The statement, which denounced the sectarian rhetoric, called on authorities to launch an “immediate and transparent investigation” and to hold accountable “all those who took part in, incited, or orchestrated this crime.”

The deadly clashes followed a wave of unrest triggered by a voice recording that circulated late Sunday into Monday, purportedly featuring Sheikh Marwan Kiwan from Sweida making derogatory remarks about Islamic holy figures.

The recording sparked anger and sporadic unrest in university dormitories in both Damascus and Homs, raising fears of wider sectarian strife.

Sheikh Kiwan later appeared in a video denying the voice was his and said the recording was fabricated to fuel sectarian division.

His denial was backed by an investigation from the Syrian Ministry of Interior, which called on the public to “respect public order and avoid any individual or collective actions that could endanger lives, property, or public security.”

Violent clashes in the southern outskirts of Damascus left at least five people dead and several others wounded.

Fighting broke out near the town of Jaramana after a hardline armed group launched a mortar attack from the direction of Maliha, targeting the al-Naseem checkpoint, residents said. Armed local groups in Jaramana responded, sparking several hours of clashes.

According to preliminary reports, five young men from Jaramana were killed and eight others injured.

Similar clashes erupted in the town of Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, another Druze-majority area, where local sources reported injuries among residents.

In response to the violence, authorities imposed a curfew in Jaramana, Sahnaya, and Ashrafiyat Sahnaya, amid heightened security deployments and growing fears of further unrest.

The Syrian authorities could take meaningful steps toward transitional justice even before a dedicated commission is formed, including arresting and prosecuting individuals involved in human rights violations, the head of the Syrian Network for Human Rights said.

Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Fadel Abdul Ghany said the government has the ability to “pursue and detain those implicated in rights abuses as a preparatory step toward accountability.”

He cautioned against misconceptions about launching transitional justice efforts without adequate planning, saying, “One of the key mistakes made recently was the demand to begin the transitional justice process immediately, without first identifying the necessary procedural steps to ensure the process is independent from the executive branch and inclusive of all segments of society.”

To guarantee such independence, Abdul Ghany said the Transitional Justice Commission must be established by a legislative body, with clearly defined standards for appointing competent and impartial members.

He added that the commission must operate under the judicial system, which itself must be independent. “This requires time,” he said, “because it involves setting clear criteria for forming a Supreme Judicial Council and a Constitutional Court that are completely independent from the executive authority.”