Tripoli— The Ministry of Defense that is affiliated with the Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli has affirmed “ceasefire efforts remain stable, and that it is directly supervising this mission in coordination with all regular military agencies to ensure stability.”
This comes after many nights of armed clashes and large demonstrations in the capital Tripoli demanding calling for an end to the GNU and the resignation of PM Abdulhamid Dbeibeh.
However, the overall situation in Tripoli remains rather tense. All parties to the conflict are behaving cautiously, especially after PM Dbeibeh stressed that “the barrier of fear has been broken, and we must not defend blackmailers and criminals.”
Speaking to the people on Saturday night, Mr. Dbeibeh said the operation that happened in Abu Salim, a populated section of Tripoli, at the night of 12 May 2025 was “a successful operation, carried out quickly and without any damage, despite the dense population of the area.”
“While the Ministry emphasizes that the top priority is to protect civilians and secure sensitive areas, it calls on all media outlets to exercise professional responsibility and avoid spreading rumors or inaccurate information that could spread panic among citizens,” the Ministry of Defense, which headed by PM Dbeibeh, said in a statement on Sunday.
It added, “the Ministry reiterates its commitment to informing the public of any developments through official channels and confirms that its forces are operating according to strict instructions to maintain public order.”
Meanwhile, PM Dbeibeh received on Sunday a delegation from the Al-Nahiyah Al-Arba’a (Four Regions) region including the heads and members of the municipalities of Sidi_Al-Sayeh, Al-Awata, Qasr_Bin_Ghashir, Al-Sab’a and Souq_Al-Khamis. He discussed with them the recent disturbing developments in Tripoli, according to a statement by the GNU.
During the meeting, the delegation members “affirmed their full support for the Libyan army and police force, as the sole guarantors of the country’s security and territorial integrity. They emphasized that Libya cannot be governed at gunpoint or from outside the official state institutions,” the statement said.
The attendees of the meeting, according to the GNU, “praised the measures taken by the government in Tripoli, which contributed to imposing discipline and restoring control to the state.”
In his address to the people on Saturday night, PM Dbeibeh said “the militias have become larger than even this state.” He mainly focused his speech on Abdulghani Ghneiwa, the head of the so-called Stability Support Apparatus militia headquartered in Abu Salim area, who was eventually killed in the surprise operation.
Mr. Dbeibeh stressed that “the majority of the #international_community, which wants a stable Libya, supported our position, and I received many calls expressing their support for this operation.”
He also described the protests that took place in the capital as being “disturbing” maintaining that he “endured them.” And that “some protesters were real, but many were paid.”