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CONTEXT & KEY FINDINGS

Context:

Conflict erupted in the city of Benghazi and its suburbs in 2014, slowly progressing from neighbourhood to neighbourhood from Benina westwards. From the end of 2014 until most recently (5 July 2017), there were heavy clashes between the military authorities in Eastern Libya against insurgents comprised of the Shura Council of Benghazi Revolutionaries. Neighbourhoods affected by the conflict sustained heavy damage and were almost completely evacuated. They are now in need of rapid humanitarian assistance and reconstruction. Pressing damage and needs have to be dealt with in a timely fashion to ensure a dignified return for previously displaced families.

In order to enhance the understanding by humanitarian stakeholders on the situation of returnees and returnee areas in Benghazi, ACTED partnered with LibAid to obtain timely information on the situation of returnees and returnee areas in Benghazi, which were until recently affected by conflict to address information gaps and provide this information to local and international stakeholders. Data was collected through workshops with local CSOs working on IDPs and returnees, and local councils. Field visits to these areas were also conducted.

Key Findings:

The neighbourhoods more recently affected by conflict are most damaged and in need of humanitarian assistance. In particular, immediate needs remained in Ganfouda and Guwarsha since the presence of many unexploded ordnances (UXOs) - improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and mines - were reported highlighting grave protection concerns. Similarly, the presence of human remains raises serious health and contamination concerns.

In those neighbourhoods witnessing the end of the conflict earlier (early 2016 and prior), it was reported that the needs and priorities focused much more on rehabilitation of infrastructure and energy networks, or on building reconstruction. In Benina for instance, issues of infrastructure damage regarding water and electricity provision have already been addressed, transport infrastructure were already functional again, the remaining priorities focused on private individuals other needs and housing reconstruction or repair.

Both Downtown neighbourhoods (Sabri and Souq Elhoot) are not properly assessed in this profile since they were still in a state of active conflict at the time of the assessment. However, additional available information highlighted severe priority needs such as environmental pollution, notably the reported presence of mines and of human remains[1].

More:
Benghazi Neighbourhoods and Returnees Profile - Findings from Workshops & Field Visits Libya - August 2017 - ReliefWeb

Tripoli - Libyan authorities on Thursday repatriated 135 Nigerian migrants, including women and children, who had made failed attempts to cross the Mediterranean to Europe, an official said.

"We are organising... the voluntary repatriation of 135 clandestine Nigerian migrants who were rescued offshore by the coastguard," said Hosni Abu Ayanah of the Libyan government agency tackling illegal migration.

The first group of 75 men and 10 women gathered on Thursday in downtown Tripoli to board buses with metal grills towards the capital's Mitiga airport.

Others were set to depart from other migrant detention centres.

The Libyan authorities have coordinated with the International Organization for Migration (IOM) to run special flights to repatriate migrants, mostly from sub-Saharan Africa.

Ever since the rule of longtime dictator Moammar Gaddafi, thousands of people have crossed Libya's 5 000km southern border to make perilous bids to reach Europe in often unseaworthy boats.

Following the 2011 NATO-backed revolt that toppled and killed Gaddafi, people traffickers have exploited the chaos rocking Libya to transport ever more migrants towards Italy, 300km away.

Those who fail often end up stuck in Libya in dire conditions and opt to be repatriated.

24.com encourages commentary submitted via MyNews24. Contributions of 200 words or more will be considered for publication.

Read more from the original source:
Libya repatriates 135 Nigerian migrants - News24

Libyas getting better at resolving stoppages in its oil industry, underpinning a growing perception that the OPEC member is closer to becoming a stable producer again.

Thats because of the duration of the incidents. While in prior years protests could shutter fields for months and years, now the stoppages are being resolved within days and barely hindering flows. Sharara, Libyas biggest field, had several short disruptions this year, including two this month, after being closed for more than two years. Mustafa Sanalla, chairman of state-run National Oil Corp., was quick to visit Sharara this week to resolve the latest dispute, offering to revise security measures.

One fundamental change that allows upstream activities to restart quickly after a disruption is that Sanalla is willing to get on the ground, visit the sites and demonstrate his commitment to local communities, Geoff Porter, founder of New York-based North Africa Risk Consulting, said by email on Wednesday.There is a level of trust that was missing for a long time.

Libya is reviving its oil production and exports in spite of continuing political uncertainty. In July, crude production was at a four-year high and exports were the most in three years, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. While the expansion has helped Libyas oil-dependent economy, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries is trying to cut global supplies. That effort has been undermined by recovering output at OPEC members Libya and Nigeria.

Libyan production has recovered impressively and part of that is certainly that recent disruptions have proved short-lived but I still think it would be wrong to describe the oil sector as stable, Richard Mallinson, a geopolitical analyst at Energy Aspects Ltd. in London, said Wednesday by email. There has been plenty of tension with the government in Tripoli as Sanallas requests for extra funding for maintenance and to address local issues have largely been ignored.

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The country pumped 1.6 million barrels a day before a 2011 revolt set off years of fighting between rival governments and militias. Workers at the Zueitina export terminal said last week they would not load tankers until their demands were met, including getting 20 months of back pay, union head Merhi Abridan said Saturday. The port reopened this week when workers were told their demands will be met, he said.

Under Sanallas tenure which started in May 2014, Libya has signed contracts with international companies, ended a blockade of ports, restarted exports and reopened fields, including Sharara in December following two years of closure. Oil production was at 250,000 barrels a day when he took over. In July, output was 1.02 million barrels a day, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Photographer: Eric Piermont/AFP via Getty Images

Libyas output will be about 1.2 million barrels a day by the end of the year if everything goes well, said Derek Brower, managing director of research at Petroleum Policy Intelligence, a U.K.-based consulting company, said Aug. 10 by email. However, the potential for disruptions is high and true stability can only return if locals genuinely feel like they are getting a dividend from rising oil production and income.

In July, rival leaders embarked on a new effort to reunify their country, agreeing to hold elections. "Paradoxically, the closer we get to a political solution, the more unstable production is going to become, Porter of North Africa Risk Consulting said. Political solutions create losers and in Libya, the losers will be armed."

With assistance by Angelina Rascouet

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Libya Gets Better at Keeping Oil Flowing as Industry Stabilizes - Bloomberg

The International Criminal Court has issued an arrest warrant for a senior Libyan commander who is linked to General Khalifa Haftar and who is suspected of involvement in numerous deaths in Benghazi.

During its preliminary session, the court accused Mahmoud Al-Werfalli of assisting in murders and giving orders to execute others, in seven incidents that involved 33 deaths.

In June, Libyas Al-Nabaa TV reported that Al-Karama Forces published a video showing the collective execution of 20 people following orders from Al-Orfali.

The court classified the offenses as war crimes.

The ICC document, seen by Al Jazeera on Tuesday, says:

Mahmoud Mustafa Busayf Al-Werfalli [is] allegedly responsible for murder as a war crime in the context of the non-international armed conflict in Libya.

On 18 July, the UN demanded the leadership of Al-Karama Forces to suspend Al-Orfali from his duties while investigations take place into his role in the torture of prisoners and the murder of at least ten people without trial.

Link:
Libya: ICC issues arrest warrant for Haftar ally - Middle East Monitor

Armed groups engaged in heavy fighting in Janan Atia district in Ajaylattown, some 80 kilometers west of Tripoli, on Wednesday, leaving a number of people dead and others wounded.

Local sources said the fighting first erupted between two families earlier this week, but later it intensified into heavy exchange of fire between armed groups supporting the warring families.

Many people fled their homes in panic while several buildings were damaged.

The reason of the clashes is not known, but some sources claimed it was a tribal dispute.

Ajaylatmayor Kamal Zayad said mediation efforts are being exerted to calm down the tension, demanding Tripoli-based ministries of interior and defense to intervene to stop the fighting.

The National Commission for Human Rights in Libya expressed concern over the deterioration of security situations in the town. It said in a statement, the fighting amounts to a war crime due to the use of medium and heavy weapons in densely populated areas.

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Deadly clashes in Ajaylat town - The Libya Observer