The home of Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah was hit by rocket-propelled grenades on Sunday, in what is believed to be a targeted attack. No casualties and minimal damages were reported by an anonymous Libyan minister, and no one has currently claimed responsibility for the attack.
The attack could further separate an already divided country. The uprising in Libya, which was supported by NATO, has left the country with little stability, and the country split into factions in 2014. Libya is currently controlled by the Government of National Accord (GNA) and the Libyan Arab Armed Forces (LAAF), previously the Libyan National Army. The LAAF currently controls the eastern region of the country.
The LAAF faction has been accused of using the armed group Tariq Ben Zeyad (TBZ) to commit war crimes and other human rights abuses to enforce their reign. Organizations such as Amnesty International and the UN have urged the end to these crimes, as The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) called for an immediate end to the violence last year.
In 2021, the United Nations stepped in and backed a unified government under Dbeibah. However, later that year, the eastern faction stopped recognizing it. An election was scheduled for December of 2021, but it was called off after disagreements arose about the eligibility of candidates.
While there is an agreement a new national government needs to be recognized, Prime Minister Dbeibah said he would not cede power until an election was held. The head of the UN, Abdoulaye Bathily, warned in February that a lack of a unified government could further comprise the unity of Libya and disintegrate the country.