(Author: Libyan Gazette Editorial Staff)
Libyan Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj announced on Tuesday morning the formation of a joint special force intended to prevent the rise of crimes.
A number of high profile officials including Libya’s Supreme Judicial Council, the minister of interior Al-Aref al-Khoga, the FBI Director General, General Director of the attorney general’s office, chairman of the judicial police, and others, attended the meeting.
Al-Sarraj called for “the important meeting at the Supreme Council in the capital Tripoli,” said a statement posted on the UN-backed Libyan government’s Facebook page.
The purpose of the meeting was “to discuss the security situation in the city and its environs, in addition to considering the steps that can be taken to prevent crime,” said the statement.
In the meeting Al-Sarraj emphasized the need “to act immediately to activate all security and judicial agencies in order to fight crime and criminals.”
The political chaos following Gaddafi’s death continues to destabilize the North African country. ISIS and other violent terrorist groups took advantage of Libya’s vulnerable state by establishing a base in the Libyan coastal city of Sirte. Libyan forces fighting ISIS have been successful in cornering the terrorist group into a small area in central Sirte.
Other armed militia groups attempted to take control of Libya’s oil facilities forcing the country’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) to shut down them down and declare a force majeure. Force majeure was lifted last month and oil production has resumed and a significant increase in oil production has been noticed.
Ongoing political instability has weakened the country, however, for the first time since Muammar Gaddafi’s 42 year dictatorship ended, political dialogue and engagement is more open and accessible to the Libyan people. During Gaddafi’s time political leadership was reserved only for those in his close circle.
In the meeting, Al-Sarraj “confirmed that he will give priority to confronting criminals,” said the GNA’s Facebook statement.
Al-Sarraj has requested Libya’s interior minister to form a joint special forces to prevent crime by next week. The GNA’s statement also mentioned that “there are practical steps” to be followed in order to “deter criminals” especially “ensuring fair trials.”