After setback, Stability Support Apparatus vow to push ahead on immigration overhaul

From the west of Tripoli’s capital to its centre, the phenomenon of illegal immigration constitutes a knife that gnaws at the side of the society in a region extending from the west of Zawiya to Tripoli’s central area.

Over the past few months, the apparatus, which controls these areas, has been combating the migration phenomenon in organised security operations.

As part of its security function, the “Stability Support Apparatus” was able to seize several multinational Africans citizens at a house in the capital of Tripoli after they entered infiltrators through illegal immigration. This seizure happened last October when the famous incident of hundreds of migrants were escaping from Ghot Shaal detention centre.

The incident terrified the citizens after hundreds of migrants roamed the capital’s streets, forcing the immigration authority’s interention to control things and return them to normal as asignificant factor.

Often, the migrants were the victims as the agency managed to free 26 migrants in the Hadaba Abu Shaala area, where among the migrants were different African and Asian nationalities. Nonetheless, those responsible for bringing and deporting themigrants were arrested and referred to the Public Prosecutor.

This challenge has been a seed in many security problems in a vast geographical environment. However, it doesn’t remain easyto control this area as it is an open field. Fortunately, through its unified leadership, the stability support apparatus, though being the only apparatus deployed in more than one region and city,facilitates the resolution of security problems.

In  January 18, 2021, the Head of the Presidential Council, Fayez Al-Sarraj, established a new security apparatus called “Stability Support Apparatus” to protect state institutions and headquarters as well as officials.

Fayez Al-Sarraj, appointed, Abdel-Ghani Al-Kikli (Ghnewa) as the head of the new apparatus, and Ayoub Abu Ras, Hassan Abu Zariba, and Mousa Mahmoud as deputies.

The apparatus will also take part in security operations such as police raids, and apprehensions related to national security in coordination with the relevant authorities. In addition, it will take part in repelling attacks by outlaw gunmen and contain riots in cooperation with cities’ security apparatuses.

Libya and its migrants confront new threats

Yet Libya continues to act as a magnet for large numbers of migrants who come to work there or go on to Europe. Untold numbers of households from Chad to Egypt to Sudan depend on remittances from Libya. The International Organisation for Migration (IOM) estimates that in February 2020 there were at least 654,000 migrants in Libya.

The top 5 nationalities were Nigerien (21 percent), Chadian (16 percent), Egyptian (15 percent), Sudanese (12 percent), and Nigerian (8 percent).