Libyan security forces killed Ahmed Oumar Al-Fitouri Al-Dabbashi, a militia leader sanctioned by the U.N. and U.S. Treasury for migrant trafficking, during a raid in Sabratha. The raid followed an attack by his militia that severely wounded six security personnel, and his brother Saleh was arrested. A 2018 U.N. report said Al-Dabbashi's group controlled departure areas, camps, safe houses and boats, exposing migrants — including children — to fatal risk. Libya remains a key transit point for migrants amid long-running political fragmentation since 2011.
U.N.-Sanctioned Migrant Trafficker 'Ammu' Killed In Sabratha Raid; Brother Arrested
This is a locator map for Libya with its capital, Tripoli. (AP Photo)
Libyan authorities say a notorious militia leader, sanctioned by the United Nations and the U.S. Treasury for migrant trafficking, was killed on Friday during a security operation in the western city of Sabratha.
Ahmed Oumar Al-Fitouri Al-Dabbashi, known as 'Ammu,' died when security forces stormed his hideout following an attack on a nearby security outpost that left six security personnel severely wounded, according to a statement from the Security Threat Enforcement Agency, which is aligned with Libya's western administration.
The agency said Al-Dabbashi led the powerful 'Brigade Of The Martyr Anas Al-Dabbashi,' a militia accused in a 2018 U.N. report of controlling migrant departure areas in Sabratha, including camps, safe houses and the boats used for Mediterranean crossings. The U.N. Security Council imposed sanctions on him in June 2018 along with five other traffickers. The report said his group exposed migrants, including children, to 'fatal circumstances' on land and at sea and threatened regional stability.
Authorities also said Saleh Al-Dabbashi, Ahmed's brother and another alleged trafficker, was arrested during the same operation. The U.S. Treasury has separately sanctioned Ahmed Al-Dabbashi for his role in migrant trafficking.
Context
Libya remains a major transit point for migrants fleeing war and poverty across Africa and the Middle East. The country descended into fragmentation after a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime leader Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, and it has since been divided between rival administrations and numerous armed groups supported by different foreign backers.
Authorities have framed the raid as part of efforts to curb human smuggling rings that exploit migrants and destabilize communities across the region.
