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Libya

September 13, 2026

Tripoli 12:01 am

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Saddam Hifter meets with Vladimir Putin at the Kremlin

Russia’s Putin hosts Saddam Hifter amid instability in Libya: What to know

Moscow has built a strong relationship with Libya’s eastern camp, as Washington and Ankara pursue efforts to reunify the country’s political and military institutions.

Libyan firefighting teams attempt to extinguish a fire at the Zawiya refinery, the second-largest oil refinery in Libya, with a refining capacity of 120,000 barrels per day, after a tank belonging to the state-owned Libyan Brega Oil Company was attacked by unknown perpetrators, in Zawiya, Libya, on Aug. 11, 2026.

Analysis

Libya’s oil revival faces new test as violence returns amid US peace push

A drone strike destroyed a power substation in Zawiya as a US-backed peace push appears to be roiling domestic tensions.

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Latest News

Turkey’s Fidan heads to Libya as US-backed unification push gathers pace

Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan met with Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity of Libya, in Tripoli on Aug. 11, 2026.

Explainer

Egypt, Libya begin studying $1B oil pipeline: What to know

ABDULLAH DOMA/AFP via Getty Images

Turkey's intel chief hosts Libya delegation amid unification push: What to know

Turkish National Intelligence Organization chief Ibrahim Kalin

Jonathan Fenton-Harvey

In London, reporting on North Africa and Gulf politics

Mohamed Eljarh

A bank teller counts money as a customer looks on at a bank in Libya's western coastal city of Misrata on Aug. 25, 2024.

Libya factions agree to appoint new central bank chief to end crisis: UN

The House of Representatives, based in the eastern city of Benghazi, and the High State Council in Tripoli in the west signed a joint statement after two days of talks hosted by the UN Support Mission in Libya.

Police officers stand guard outside Libya's Central Bank headquarters in Tripoli on Aug. 27, 2024.

Interview

From Turkey, exiled Libyan Central Bank governor decries 'coup d'etat'

Governor Sadiq al-Kabir spoke exclusively to Al-Monitor after he and other senior officials at the Libyan Central Bank fled to Istanbul at the end of last month, as militias linked to Libya's internationally recognized government threatened them.

Sadiq al-Kabir

Sadiq al-Kabir

Governor of the Central Bank of Libya

A picture taken on October 13, 2021 shows Kuwait's largest oil refinery at the Al-Ahmadi complex, about 40 kilometres (25 miles) south of the capital Kuwait City. - A fire broke out on October 18, 2021 in Al-Ahmadi refinery, with no interruptions to site operations or petrol exports.

New Mideast threats mean uncertainty for oil, trade, stability in August

Libyan Central Bank Governor Sadiq al-Qabir speaks during a news conference in Tripoli, Jan. 13, 2012.

Libya central bank governor flees the North African country to avoid militias: Report

The Central Bank has been in crisis for several days, since its head of IT was kidnapped and released.

AFP via Getty Images

Libya's Sarir oil field latest to shut down amid central bank standoff

The Sarir oil field has halted almost all production of around 209,000 barrels per day, engineers said.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) and Libyan government of national unity prime minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah (L) pose for a photo during the official ceremony prior to their meeting in Ankara on April 12, 2021. (Photo by Adem ALTAN / AFP) (Photo by ADEM ALTAN/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Libya upheaval: Why Turkey is mum over heightened tensions in Tripoli

Turkey, one of the two foreign powers with the largest military presence in Libya, conspicuously maintains its silence over the escalating tensions in the country, which experts link to several reasons.

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Libya central bank governor

Analysis

Libya: Behind abduction and failed central bank coup in Tripoli

The bank's head of information technology was abducted on Sunday morning but returned hours later.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Refinery Sarir in Libya.

Libya’s largest oil field sees output reduction after shutdown by protesters

The Sharara field in southwestern Libya, which pumped out nearly 270,000 barrels per day of crude on Saturday, fully halted production Monday and was running at reduced production Tuesday due to ongoing protests.

Migrants from Tunisia and Lybia arrive onboard of an Italian Guardia Costiera (Coast Guard) boat in the Italian Pelagie Island of Lampedusa on Aug. 1, 2020.

Analysis

As Europe's far right surges, North Africa immigration takes center stage

The election of far-right politicians in power across Europe will impact EU policy toward North Africa, which has proven to be an invaluable energy partner since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Libya's interim Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah (R) welcomes Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni as she arrives for a meeting in Tripoli on May 7, 2024.

What's behind Italy's growing Libya engagement as Russia influence expands?

Italy is seeking stronger ties with Libya’s rival groups, though this mission may be hindered by several challenges.

An Aerial view Taken by drone of Tripoli, Libya old City . You can see marcus aurelius arch, Cornthia Hotel, Dat Al-Emad, Burj Al-Fatah, Burj Abu-laila & JW Marriot Hotel

Inside the plan to send American diplomats back to Libya

The Biden administration sees a US diplomatic presence in Libya as critical to helping counter Russia’s growing footprint in Africa as well as supporting a UN-led push for elections.

A picture taken on Sept. 17, 2021, shows people queuing to cross into Tunisia through the Libyan Ras Jdeir border crossing.

What’s behind Libya-Tunisia border closure?

Tunisia closed the troubled Ras Jdir crossing following a security incident. Tunisia and Libya are facing a crisis over migrants seeking to reach Europe.