Fathi Bashagha - The African Mirror

Apr

2022

Libya’s Bashagha says he will enter Tripoli peacefully within days

ANGUS MCDOWALL LIBYA'S Fathi Bashagha, who was appointed prime minister by the eastern-based parliament this month, expects to take over government in Tripoli in the coming days without using force, he told Reuters, amid a weeks-long standoff between rival factions. Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, who was made interim prime minister a year ago in a U.N.-backed process, has refused to cede power to Bashagha after a planned election collapsed in December and remains ensconced in the capital, backed by some armed groups. After the election process fell apart, the parliament said Dbeibah's government had expired and selected Bashagha to head a new…

Mar

2022

By The African Mirror

Libya ministers released as political factions jostle for power

NEWS

LIBYA'S new parliament-backed government said that an armed group linked to rival authorities had released two of its ministers held against their will, but tensions remained high between political factions. The office of Fathi Bashagha, the parliament's choice for prime minister, had said the two ministers were held on Thursday as they travelled by road to the swearing-in of his cabinet in the east of the country after domestic flights were grounded. Airports said flights had resumed on Friday and Bashagha's office said the two men, his foreign minister and culture minister, were freed. The armed group could not be…

Mar

2022

By The African Mirror

Libya crisis worsens as rival government takes oath

NEWS

A standoff between two rival governments in Libya worsened with the risk of fighting or territorial division as the parliament in the east swore in a new administration while the incumbent in Tripoli refused to cede power. Addressing the parliament after taking the oath of office, Fathi Bashagha said he was studying all options to take over in Tripoli. The present prime minister there, Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, has said he will not hand over control. Armed groups affiliated with both sides have mobilised in the capital and foreign forces, including from Turkey and Russia, remain entrenched in Libya nearly 18 months…

Mar

2022

By The African Mirror

Libya parliament backs new government as crisis deepens

WORLD

LIBYA'S parliament approved a new government but the incumbent prime minister rejected the vote and vowed not to cede power, raising the risk of fighting among armed factions or territorial partition between rival administrations. The parliament speaker's declaration of Fathi Bashagha as prime minister after a televised vote aggravates a power struggle with the administration of Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, who was installed through a U.N.-backed process last year. Opposing armed groups have mobilised in the capital Tripoli over recent weeks and foreign forces including from Turkey and Russia that have backed rival warring factions remain in the country. Whether the crisis…

Feb

2021

By The African Mirror

Libyan interior minister escapes shooting attack on motorcade in Tripoli

NEWS

GUNMEN opened fire on the motorcade of Libyan Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha in the capital Tripoli yesterday but he escaped unharmed, a source close to Bashagha said. The assailants fired heavily on Bashagha's convoy as he drove through western Tripoli after visiting the National Oil Corporation and the headquarters of the ministry's law enforcement force, the source said. Bashagha's guards exchanged fire with the attackers before pursuing them, killing one, injuring another and arresting two, according to the source. The attack comes as the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), in which Bashagha serves, prepares to make way for…

Sep

2020

By The African Mirror

Libyan interior minister restored to post after talks

NEWS

LIBYA’S internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) on Thursday restored the interior minister to his post after announcing his suspension last week following protests over living conditions. Fathi Bashagha said in a statement posted online that he had been reinstated after a five-hour hearing about the protests and the role of the security forces. An influential figure from the port city and military power base of Misrata, Bashagha is well regarded by the GNA's foreign backers and played a central role as it repelled a 14-month assault on Tripoli by eastern-based forces. However, there have been longstanding tensions between…

Aug

2020

By The African Mirror

Influential Libyan interior minister suspended amid protests

NEWS

THE head of Libya's internationally recognised government has suspended his powerful interior minister from his duties, saying his handling of street protests and a violent crackdown against them would be investigated. The move coincides with reports of growing friction between Fayez al-Sarraj, Prime Minister of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), and Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha, an influential figure from the port city and military power base of Misrata. Bashagha, who was nominated in 2018, played a central role during a 14-month offensive on Tripoli by eastern-based forces that the GNA repelled in June with military support from Turkey.…