SUMMARY
Operations Room Combating Daesh (alternatively the anti-Islamic State Operations Room, AIOR) was a Libyan militia group active in the Libyan coastal town Sabratha. In the late 2010s, Libya was characterized by a system of “militia politics”, which meant that the country’s political factions were forced to rely on the support of various regional and local armed groups; it was in this context the group emerged. Operations Room Combating Daesh was nominally aligned with the Government of Libya, even though the latter had little actual control over the group, which operated in a largely independent manner.
Operations Room Combating Daesh was a paramilitary force that had originally been created by former military officers in 2016 to fight against IS in Sabratha. After the expulsion of IS from Sabratha in 2016, the group became was involved in illicit trade and human trafficking activities. In 2017, the group became aggrieved by the Government of Libya’s and Italy’s decision to pay off the Anas al-Dabbashi Brigade.
In 2017, Operations Room Combating Daesh and the Shuhada al-Wadi militia provided warring support to each other. Furthermore, during the non-state conflict against the Anas al-Dabbashi Brigade claimed that it was supporting the Operations Room Combating Daesh. However, the group firmly denied any direct links to the House of Representatives, and especially its “Libyan National Army” (LNA) militia.
Shuhada al-Wadi militia was a Libyan militia group active in the Libyan coastal town Sabratha. In the late 2010s, Libya was characterized by a system of “militia politics”, which meant that the country’s political factions were forced to rely on the support of various regional and local armed groups; it was in this context the group emerged. Shuhada al-Wadi militia was nominally aligned with the Government of Libya, even though the latter had little actual control over the group, which operated in a largely independent manner.
Shuhada al-Wadi militia was believed to be comprised of ultraconservative Salafi Islamists known as the “Madkhalis”; however, the group itself claimed to represent a moderate interpretation of Islam. The exact leadership structure of the group was unclear, but Mos’ab Abu Grein (also called “The Doctor”) was one of the group’s top commanders. The group was highly involved in Sabratha’s human trafficking activities; from its strongholds in the al-Wadi neighborhood, the militia smuggled migrants across the Mediterranean Sea to Europe. Shuhada al-Wadi militia had also been involved in fighting against the Islamic State (IS) when the latter still maintained a presence in Sabratha. In 2017, the group became aggrieved by the Government of Libya’s and Italy’s decision to pay off the Anas al-Dabbashi Brigade. This also crippled Shuhada al-Wadi militia’s lucrative smuggling activities.
In 2017, the Shuhada al-Wadi militia and the Operations Room Combating Daesh provided warring support to each other. Furthermore, during the non-state conflict against the Anas al-Dabbashi Brigadeclaimed that it was supporting the Shuhada al-Wadi militia. However, the group firmly denied any direct links to the House of Representatives, and especially its “Libyan National Army” (LNA) militia.
