Libya’s Dbeibah Seeks to Contain Zawiya Militias after Al-Bidja’s Assassination

Head of Libya’s Government of National Unity Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah is seen with Abdulrahman Milad, also known as “Al-Bidja,” the Commander of the Naval Academy. (File photo)
Head of Libya’s Government of National Unity Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah is seen with Abdulrahman Milad, also known as “Al-Bidja,” the Commander of the Naval Academy. (File photo)
TT

Libya’s Dbeibah Seeks to Contain Zawiya Militias after Al-Bidja’s Assassination

Head of Libya’s Government of National Unity Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah is seen with Abdulrahman Milad, also known as “Al-Bidja,” the Commander of the Naval Academy. (File photo)
Head of Libya’s Government of National Unity Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah is seen with Abdulrahman Milad, also known as “Al-Bidja,” the Commander of the Naval Academy. (File photo)

Head of Libya’s Government of National Unity Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah ordered on Monday an investigation into the assassination of Abdulrahman Milad, also known as “Al-Bidja,” the Commander of the Naval Academy.

Gunmen shot dead Al-Bidja in front of the Academy of Naval Studies in Janzour on Sunday.

Soon after, armed groups, including members of the 103rd infantry brigade, also known as the Al-Silaa brigade, headed by Othman al-Lahab, mobilized towards the al-Sayyad area in al-Zawiya, shutting the coastal road connecting it to the capital Tripoli.

Dbeibah mourned Al-Bidja’s death and ordered the Interior Ministry and relevant agencies to open an immediate probe into his killing.

Member of the Presidential Council Abdullah al-Lafi and head of the High Council of State Khalid al-Mishri also mourned Al-Bidja.

Mishri called on the concerned agencies to uncover the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

Tensions were high between rival factions in Zawiya in wake of the deployment of the armed groups.

Al-Bidja was named in a 2018 UN report for involvement in human trafficking and human rights abuses. The US Treasury slapped sanctions against him that same year.



Palestinian NGO to Ask UK Court to Block F-35 Parts to Israel over Gaza War

Protesters demonstrate outside the Royal Courts of Justice ahead of a legal challenge brought by the Palestinian NGO Al-Haq over Britain's exports of parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel, amid its conflict with Hamas, in London, Britain, November 18, 2024. REUTERS/Sam Tobin
Protesters demonstrate outside the Royal Courts of Justice ahead of a legal challenge brought by the Palestinian NGO Al-Haq over Britain's exports of parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel, amid its conflict with Hamas, in London, Britain, November 18, 2024. REUTERS/Sam Tobin
TT

Palestinian NGO to Ask UK Court to Block F-35 Parts to Israel over Gaza War

Protesters demonstrate outside the Royal Courts of Justice ahead of a legal challenge brought by the Palestinian NGO Al-Haq over Britain's exports of parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel, amid its conflict with Hamas, in London, Britain, November 18, 2024. REUTERS/Sam Tobin
Protesters demonstrate outside the Royal Courts of Justice ahead of a legal challenge brought by the Palestinian NGO Al-Haq over Britain's exports of parts for F-35 fighter jets to Israel, amid its conflict with Hamas, in London, Britain, November 18, 2024. REUTERS/Sam Tobin

Britain is allowing parts for F-35 fighter jets to be exported to Israel despite accepting they could be used in breach of international humanitarian law in Gaza, lawyers for a Palestinian rights group told a London court on Monday.

West Bank-based Al-Haq, which documents alleged rights violations by Israel and the Palestinian Authority, is taking legal action against Britain's Department for Business and Trade at London's High Court, Reuters reported.

Israel has been accused of violations of international humanitarian law in the Gaza war, with the UN Human Rights Office saying nearly 70% of fatalities it has verified were women and children, a report Israel rejected.

Israel says it takes care to avoid harming civilians and denies committing abuses and war crimes in the conflicts with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Al-Haq's case comes after Britain in September suspended 30 of 350 arms export licences, though it exempted the indirect export of F-35 parts, citing the impact on the global F-35 programme.

Al-Haq argues that decision was unlawful as there is a clear risk F-35s could be used in breach of international humanitarian law.

British government lawyers said in documents for Monday's hearing that ministers assessed Israel had committed possible breaches of international humanitarian law (IHL) in relation to humanitarian access and the treatment of detainees.

Britain also "accepts that there is clear risk that F-35 components might be used to commit or facilitate a serious violation of IHL", its lawyer James Eadie said.

Eadie added that Britain had nonetheless decided that F-35 components should still be exported, quoting from advice to defense minister John Healey that suspending F-35 parts "would have a profound impact on international peace and security".

A full hearing of Al-Haq's legal challenge is likely to be heard early in 2025.

The Gaza health ministry says more than 43,800 people have been confirmed killed since the war erupted on Oct. 7, 2023.