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🛒 تسوق الآنLibya's Political Rifts Deepen as Presidential Council Dismisses Intelligence Chief
Libya's Political Rifts Deepen as Presidential Council Dismisses Intelligence Chief
Sudden Leadership Shakeup Triggers Institutional Crisis
TRIPOLI — Libya's Presidential Council has sparked a new political crisis after its decision to dismiss the head of the General Intelligence Service, Lieutenant General Hussein Al-Ayeb, and replace him with Abdulmajid Al-Mleigta. The move, announced June 28, has fractured the already fragile unity of the council and drawn sharp warnings from parliament against dragging sovereign agencies into political rivalries.
The dismissal has exposed deep fault lines within Libya's highest governing body. Presidential Council Deputy Head Musa al-Koni publicly objected to Al-Ayeb's removal, according to sources close to the council. Al-Koni reportedly conditioned his approval on the appointment of Khaled Haftar as Chief of Staff — a proposal rejected by fellow council member Abdullah Al-Lafi.
A Divided Presidential Council
The open split within the Presidential Council underscores the institutional instability that has plagued Libya since the 2011 fall of Muammar Gaddafi. The council, designed as a collective head of state to unify competing factions, now finds itself at the center of the very power struggles it was meant to transcend.
Parliament was quick to respond, warning the Presidential Council against involving sovereign security agencies in political disputes. Analysts say the dismissal of an intelligence chief — a figure who commands loyalty networks built over years — risks triggering real-world consequences beyond political statements.
Lieutenant General Al-Ayeb had served as head of the General Intelligence Service since May 2021, when he was appointed to replace Emad Trabelsi. A career intelligence officer from Al-Jabal Al-Gharbi in western Libya, Al-Ayeb also chaired the Committee of Intelligence and Security Services of Africa (CISSA), giving him regional influence beyond Libya's borders.
Controversy and Prior Warnings
The decision to remove Al-Ayeb did not come in a vacuum. In November 2025, Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh had attempted to sack the intelligence chief, but Al-Ayeb returned to his post within days after tense behind-the-scenes negotiations. Libya's Audit Bureau, led by Khalid Shakshak, had also formally called on the Presidential Council to withdraw Al-Ayeb's mandate, citing allegations of fraud during his tenure as board director of the International Company for Development and Investment in Libya.
Despite these controversies, Al-Ayeb maintained powerful allies and institutional support — making his dismissal a high-stakes gamble for the Presidential Council's President, Mohammed al-Menfi.
Regional Powers Watch Closely
The leadership change comes amid intense regional diplomacy surrounding Libya. Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin recently met with Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi to discuss unifying Libya's divided institutions. Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Haftar's son, Saddam Haftar, in Washington as part of a new American push to end Libya's political deadlock.
Egypt's intelligence chief, Major General Hassan Rashad, also flew to Tripoli in June for meetings with GNU Prime Minister Dbeibah. The flurry of intelligence-level diplomacy signals that regional stakeholders are positioning themselves ahead of anticipated political realignments.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) is expected to brief the Security Council this month on the country's deteriorating political climate. UN envoy Hanna Serwaa Tetteh has warned that Libya's prolonged stalemate, worsening economic conditions, and emerging split within the judiciary pose mounting risks to national unity.
What Comes Next
The appointment of Abdulmajid Al-Mleigta as new intelligence chief faces immediate tests. He must assert authority over an institution loyal to his predecessor while navigating a Presidential Council that is itself divided. The parliament's warning against politicizing sovereign agencies sets the stage for further institutional confrontation.
For ordinary Libyans, the political turbulence at the top translates into uncertainty on the ground — delayed economic reforms, stalled elections, and a security apparatus whose chain of command is suddenly unclear. With the UN Security Council's 60-day briefing approaching, the international community is watching whether Libya's leaders can pull back from the brink or whether this dismissal marks the beginning of a new and dangerous chapter.
— Libya Press / Politics Desk
