GNA plan to secure Mitiga airport risks triggering new round of militia fighting in Libya’s capital

On 17 September, Libya’s Ministry of Interior, aligned to the Tripoli-based UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Presidential Council (PC), announced a new decree aimed at reducing the power of local militias in the Libyan capital. During a press conference held at Mitiga International Airport, the minister, Mohamed Ashour, declared that as part of a new security protocol the internal perimeter of the only functioning airport in the Libyan capital would be secured by the Central Security Forces, a semi-official police force subordinate to the PC. Mitiga airport has been under the control of one of the strongest Tripoli militias, the Special Deterrence Force (also know as RADA Force), since 2011. It is unclear whether the RADA militia was consulted prior to the announcement of the decree. The airport complex includes the headquarters of this militia, a prison where suspected jihadist militants are held, and an Air Force airbase. The GNA announcement came after the inter-militia fighting that broke out in Tripoli in late August, which led to the airport closure after rockets were fired in its direction on 2 September (see: Libya: 4 Sep 18: High risk of inter-militia fighting in Libya’s capital expanding to northern Tripoli, affecting Mitiga airport).

Significance: The minister did not clarify the future role, if any, of the RADA Force, or whether it would be disbanded or integrated into the Central Security Forces. Either way, RADA is very unlikely to willingly hand over access to the revenue it obtains from controlling the airport, with the likely consequence that the handover will be only on paper. Additionally, if the GNA were to decide to enforce RADA compliance with the new arrangement, this would likely trigger a new round of fighting in the capital, involving those militias aligned with the RADA force and those simply fearing the loss of their privileges. Any fighting around the Mitiga complex would ensure that operations at Mitiga would remain suspended and will pose a severe risk of collateral damage to the airport’s infrastructure, due to the indiscriminate use of heavy weaponry. The mobilisation of RADA forces along the capital’s coastal road, or statements released by other Tripoli militias denouncing the GNA initiative, would indicate the imminence of a new round of fighting in the capital, increasing civil war risk.