The killing of a powerful militia leader in Tripoli on Monday night led to intense fighting that could shift the balance of power among armed factions aligned with the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity (GNU), bolstering the position of Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah.
Abdulghani Kikli, a prominent militia leader known as Ghaniwa, was killed in the Libyan capital, triggering a series of clashes that drove his forces from their longtime strongholds. Kikli’s death marks a significant development in the ongoing power struggle in western Libya, with far-reaching implications for both the local factions and regional dynamics.
Kikli’s militia, the Security Stabilisation Apparatus (SSA), had long dominated Tripoli, controlling key institutions such as prisons, ministries, and financial agencies. His influence in the capital earned him the title of “de facto king of Tripoli.” Tarek Megerisi, an expert at the European Council on Foreign Relations, noted that “Ghaniwa was the de facto king of Tripoli. His henchmen controlled the internal security agency, government ministries, and even public companies”.
The killing of Kikli and the subsequent clashes signal the potential consolidation of power among armed factions aligned with Dbeibah’s GNU. Factions such as the 444 Brigade, led by Mahmoud Hamza, the 111 Brigade, and the Joint Force from Misrata, are expected to play an increasingly prominent role in Tripoli. This could mark a shift in power toward a smaller, more unified group of factions, mirroring the situation in eastern Libya, where General Khalifa Haftar consolidated control a decade ago.
“This paves the way for unprecedented levels of territorial consolidation in Tripoli and an increasingly smaller number of groups,” said Emad Badi, a senior fellow at the Atlantic Council.
While clashes erupted across the city after Kikli’s death, Tripoli appeared calm by Tuesday morning, with forces from Dbeibah’s aligned groups occupying key locations once controlled by Kikli’s militia. The former SSA stronghold in the Abu Salim district, Kikli’s powerbase, was overtaken by these factions, signaling the growing influence of Dbeibah and his allies.
However, despite the shift in power, Libya’s energy facilities, largely located in areas controlled by Haftar’s forces, have not been impacted by the recent clashes. Witnesses reported a quiet day in Tripoli on Tuesday, with 444 and 111 Brigade fighters maintaining a presence in the city center and around SSA’s former headquarters.
Libya has been plagued by instability since the 2011 uprising that ousted longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi. Since 2014, the country has been divided between rival factions, with the east controlled by Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) and the west, including Tripoli, fragmented among various armed groups.
Dbeibah was appointed as prime minister in 2021 through a United Nations-backed process aimed at facilitating elections, but those elections were delayed, and Dbeibah remains in power, despite challenges from the eastern-based House of Representatives. Although several attempts to oust him by force have failed, Dbeibah has shown resilience, consolidating power through his control of Tripoli’s armed factions.
“Dbeibah has been a frustrated leader who had to cohabit with challengers inside Tripoli. He’s sending a message he’s not going anywhere and Haftar should respect him,” said Jalel Harchaoui, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute.
Despite Dbeibah’s growing influence, one major faction in Tripoli, the Security Deterrence Force (Rada), remains a powerful rival. Rada controls the capital’s Mitiga airport and other key areas of the city center, presenting a challenge to Dbeibah’s control.
Kikli, once a baker during the 2011 Arab Spring, rose to prominence as a militia leader after the uprising that led to Gaddafi’s downfall. His group was one of the most influential armed factions in Libya, seizing strategic locations around Tripoli and establishing control over critical state institutions.
The killing of Kikli and the ensuing clashes highlight the volatile nature of Libyan politics, where armed groups and shifting alliances continue to shape the country’s future. With Dbeibah’s position strengthened by recent events, the balance of power in Tripoli and western Libya is likely to evolve, further entrenching the role of Turkey, Dbeibah’s key regional ally, in Libyan affairs.