The two successive assaults on the shrines of Sheikh ‘Abdullah al-Shaab’ in Tripoli and ‘Abd As-Salam Al-Asmar’ in Zliten – 160 kilometers east of Tripoli – this past August, were not the first armed Salafist attacks on ancient Sufi landmarks in Libya. ‘Sidi Obeid’ Cemetery in Benghazi, eastern Libya, and the tomb of ‘Sidi Nasr’ […]

The journey of Abdulhakim Al-Hassadi, one of the most important Islamic leaders in Derna – eastern Libya – follows a winding road.  He spent five years fighting with the Taliban in Afghanistan, he was a commander in the Abu Slim Martyrs Brigade, which fought forces loyal to Gaddafi during the revolution last year, and he […]

In six refugee camps in Benghazi alone, thousands of displaced Tawerghans share suffering, hope and toilets. They have been traumatized since the second month of the revolution, when Gaddafi brigades made Tawergha— a northwestern town of 40,000 inhabitants— a stronghold for around 8,000 government forces and mercenaries who pounded rebel positions in neigbouring Misratah, and forced […]

In late February 2011, once eastern Libya was liberated from the Gaddafi regime, Libyan press started in a new form; dozens of publications and newspapers of varied performance levels and content were released. Most of them shared the content of the nascent Libyan revolution discourse. In late February 2011, once eastern Libya was liberated from […]

A controversial draft law has recenly re-emerged in the Libyan political scene, is designed to exclude a broad spectrum of Libyans who held leadership positions or political or administrative offices during Gaddafi’s reign from participating in public offices. The proposal was put forward by a number of civil organizations to the National Transitional Council while […]

On the website of the United States Embassy in Libya, the late U.S. Ambassador Christopher Stevens wrote that he considered himself “lucky to take part in this wonderful moment of change and hope in Libya.” His wonderful moment, however, ended by being killed in this country. Stevens, who also represented the United States on the […]

Diving at a depth of eight meters and swimming underwater near the shores of of Zuwara, far west of Libya, is not the only thing that tempts Abu Ajila Qajqouj, 45, to visit that place again and again. [ibimage==1668==Small_Image==none==self==null] Human presence This professional scuba diver is drawn by the mystery and beauty that surrounds the […]

Barely a month since Libya’s first post-Gaddafi elections, the Supreme Security Committee has been overwhelmed by ongoing violence.  Last week, Sufi shrines were demolished by extremists while police allegedly looked on. This led interior minister, Fawzi Abdel A’al, to resign from his post, only to withdraw his resignation two days later.   All of this happened […]

Libyans performing Umrah— a pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia— during Ramadan this year, faced an unusually difficult trek to Islam’s holiest site. The absence of a ministry of tourism, a shortage of aircraft and widespread disorganization forced some pilgrims to travel the way their forefathers once did, by land. Libyans performing Umrah— a pilgrimage to Mecca, […]

Youssef Muhammad Salem is grateful to have his current job as a company driver. As a young man in Tripoli, he has been tossed about by waves of unemployment despite his qualifications. Since he graduated from the French Division at the Faculty of Languages in 2003, he has taken on many jobs that have little […]