جهاز تنظيف الأسنان بالماء
وفر 48%! اشترِ جهاز تنظيف الأسنان بالماء بسعر 167.04 د.ل فقط في ليبيا. متوفر حال
🛒 تسوق الآنLibya Presidency Council Split Over Intelligence Chief Appointment
Libya Presidency Council Split Over Intelligence Chief Appointment
Internal Rift Exposed as Al-Koni Denies Approving Intelligence Service Leadership Change
Libya's Presidency Council is facing an open internal split after appointing a new head of the General Intelligence Service — a decision that one council member publicly disavowed and the House of Representatives speaker condemned as politically destabilizing. The controversy, which erupted on June 29, 2026, has laid bare deep fractures within one of the country's most sensitive sovereign institutions.
The Council's Official Decisions
The Presidency Council, headed by Mohamed Al-Menfi, issued decisions to relieve Hussein Mohammed Al-Ayeb of his duties as head of the General Intelligence Service. Abdelmajid Ibrahim Abdulkarim Al-Maligta was appointed as his successor, while Abdulshafi Hussein Mohammed Al-Juwaifi was named Deputy Head for Public Affairs and External Communication.
In its official statement, the Council claimed unanimous approval of the decisions, describing them as an exercise of its "constitutional and sovereign powers" carried out in the best interests of the state. The statement noted that the meeting was held on Sunday and that the decisions were effective immediately.
Al-Koni's Rejection: "Inaccuracies and Contradictions"
Council member Musa Al-Koni swiftly issued a rebuttal, denying that any consensus had been reached. In a statement carried by the Libyan News Agency (LANA), Al-Koni said he found the Council's official statement to contain "inaccuracies and contradictions of what actually transpired during the meeting."
Al-Koni clarified that he had participated in the meeting via electronic communication at 1:00 PM, contradicting the Council's claim that he was absent due to being abroad. "Despite the proposals put forward and the insistence on passing them, no agreement or consensus was reached on the proposed decisions," he stated, explicitly rejecting both the intelligence chief appointment and a separate proposal regarding the Chief of Staff of the Libyan Army.
House of Representatives Speaker Weighs In
House of Representatives Speaker Ageela Saleh added another dimension to the backlash, stating that the timing of these sovereign position appointments — made without consulting other bodies — was intended to cause political turbulence. Saleh called for security institutions to be insulated from political disputes and urged all parties to prioritize the national interest over unilateral actions.
The convergence of opposition from both a Presidency Council member and the parliament speaker underscores the broader institutional resistance to what critics view as a power consolidation move by the Council's leadership.
Background: Al-Ayeb's Tenure and the Stakes
The departed intelligence chief, Hussein Al-Ayeb, held the rank of Lieutenant General and also chaired the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services in Africa (CISSA). A career intelligence officer from Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi in western Libya, he had been appointed by the Presidency Council in May 2021. His removal after five years in the role raises questions about the strategic direction of Libya's intelligence apparatus at a sensitive political juncture.
Implications for Libya's Political Landscape
The dispute over the intelligence appointment follows a pattern of recurring tensions between the Presidency Council and other Libyan institutions. In March 2026, Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah faced similar pushback over ministerial appointments, with the Presidency Council itself expressing reservations about their legality — a dynamic that has now reversed, with the Council on the receiving end of institutional objections.
With the claim of unanimous approval directly contradicted by a sitting member, the episode raises fundamental questions about the Council's internal decision-making processes and whether the legal requirements for consensus are being met. For ordinary Libyans, the public infighting over an intelligence service appointment signals that the country's provisional governance structures remain as fractured as ever — with sovereign institutions once again becoming arenas for political contest rather than public service.
— Libya Press / Politics Desk
