The Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies and the Libyan Platform for Human Rights call on Libyan authorities to immediately protect the civilian population from the fallout of armed clashes between rival groups following the extrajudicial killing of Abdelghani Al-Kikli (known as ‘Ghneiwa’), leader of the Stability Support Apparatus (SSA), on 12 May 2025 under unclear circumstances inside the camp of the 444th Brigade of the Ministry of Defense of the Government of National Unity (GNU). Authorities should open an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation into this assassination, which is indicative of a continued pattern of lawlessness in Libya, and immediately initiate a comprehensive security sector reform in order to rein in armed militias.
Al-Kikli’s killing has triggered violent clashes between GNU forces and forces affiliated with the SSA, particularly in densely populated neighborhoods of western Tripoli, including Abu Salim, home to the SSA’s main headquarters. Indiscriminate shelling and the use of heavy weaponry in residential areas has resulted in at least six people dead and fifteen others wounded, while causing significant damage to civilian homes and infrastructure. The security situation further deteriorated on 13 and 14 May after clashes between rival armed groups expanded into central Tripoli and surrounding areas.
The authorities in Tripoli must take concrete measures to protect civilians and halt any direct armed clashes and use of indiscriminate weapons in civilian areas, and ensure that all armed groups aligned with the government fully apply international humanitarian law and human rights law.
The assassination of al-Kikli is the latest in a series of violent eliminations of militia leaders in Libya, resulting in a consistent failure to bring stability or justice. As a case in point, Mahmoud al-Werfalli, a commander in the Libyan Armed Forces, an armed group affiliated to Khalifa Haftar, was under an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court for the war crime of murder of 33 persons; he was assassinated before he could be brought to trial.
While Prime Minister Dbeibeh has hailed recent operations as a ‘decisive step toward ending irregular groups,’ we emphasize that the dismantling of militias must occur within a framework of legality and justice. Extrajudicial measures only perpetuate a cycle of violence and impunity, undermining any prospects for sustainable peace. These assassinations have reinforced a dangerous cycle of impunity, where crimes committed by powerful armed groups go unpunished and justice is replaced by power struggles. Addressing the long-standing reign of militias—which have committed gross human rights violations and undermined state institutions—requires adherence to the rule of law and formal accountability processes.
The SSA under Al-Kikli’s leadership has been widely accused of systematic human rights violations, including arbitrary detention, enforced disappearance, torture, and extrajudicial executions. These abuses have been documented by the 2022 UN Security Council expert panel, Amnesty International, and the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies. Reports have also pointed to the existence of horrific abuses within SSA facilities, notably the former Abu Salim Zoo, which Al-Kikli controlled since his leadership of the Abu Salim Central Security Apparatus in 2012—prior to its transformation into the SSA.
The SSA was formally established by Presidential Council Decision No. 26 of 2021, with Al-Kikli appointed head under Decision No. 36 of the same year. Despite the lack of robust judicial oversight of the SSA, it was entrusted with extensive security powers, including arrest and detention. It received substantial public funding—40 million Libyan dinars in 2021 (equivalent of 8.93 million US dollars), and an additional 132 million in 2022 (equivalent of 23 million US dollars), allocated from emergency funds by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibeh. This underscores the unchecked expansion of security entities and their entrenched influence within the government.
We call on the Libyan Attorney General to launch a comprehensive criminal investigation into all allegations of human rights violations by the SSA and other armed actors. Victims and their families must be granted access to justice, reparations, and the full truth. We also call on the GNU to release all individuals – Libyans and non-Libyans – detained without charge or legal basis in both official and unofficial detention facilities under the control of the SSA, and to provide protection and assistance as needed to the persons released from these facilities.
We reiterate our calls—first made through the Libya Platform Coalition, a civil society initiative of 14 Libyan NGOs, in partnership with the Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies—for the implementation of the Roadmap to Promote Human Rights and Restore the Rule of Law in Libya, updated in 2020. This roadmap proposes concrete steps including:
- The restructuring of the Ministries of Defense and Interior
- A comprehensive reform plan for the security sector
- Legislation for the disarmament and reintegration of armed group members
- Rehabilitation efforts aligned with transitional justice and national reconciliation.
Finally, we call on Member States at the UN Human Rights Council to urgently establish an independent international investigative mechanism on Libya. This body must be mandated to investigate and document human rights violations by all parties, preserve evidence, and identify perpetrators in support of future accountability.
Libya’s path to peace and stability will not be built on revenge, turf wars, or force, but through justice, accountability, and respect for the rule of law.
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