| Tariq Ben Zeyad Brigade | |
|---|---|
| كتيبة طارق بن زياد | |
| Military leader | Saddam Haftar |
| Dates of operation | 2016–present |
| Country | Libya |
| Allegiance |  Libyan National Army |
| Ideology | Madkhalism |
Tariq Ben Zeyad Brigade (TBZ; Arabic: كتيبة طارق بن زياد) is a militant organization led by Saddam Haftar, son of Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar. It has been accused of crushing any opposition to his father's LNA since its emergence in 2016. In December 2022, Saddam's Tariq Ben Zeyad Brigade was accused by the Amnesty International of committing war crimes.
Composition
Tariq Ben Zeyad is one of the largest and most influential armed groups that operate under the Libyan Arab Armed Forces. It is a mix of Gaddafist soldiers who fought on the side of Muammar Gaddafi in the 2011 Libyan Civil War and fighters from tribes allied to LNA.
Timeline
On 24 August 2021, Saddam Haftar met with the commander of the Misrata-based 166 Brigade Mohammed al-Hassan to discuss the formation of a joint unit. This joint unit composed of the TBZ and 166 Brigade would operate to secure the central region from al-Shuwarif through to Mizdah with a focus on the GMMR pipeline through to al-Hasawna wells.
On 25 November 2021, the TBZ, led by Saddam and Khalid, stormed the courthouse in Sabha to prevent judges from hearing Saif al-Islam Gaddafi's appeal to participate in the presidential election. The gunmen used arms against the staffers and judges and then kicked them out.
On 29 June 2022, the TBZ announced that it raided a farm in the south where terrorist groups were stationed and confiscated missiles and explosives.
On 12 September 2022, the Libya Crimes Watch reported that the Tariq Ben Zeyad Brigade set fire to the house of activist Senussi Al-Mahdi for criticizing the violations taking place in the Buhadi area south of Sirte. The LCW confirmed that five men are still forcibly disappeared.
On 19 December 2022, the TBZ was accused by the Amnesty International of committing war crimes.
On 6 October 2023, the TBZ participated in the kidnapping and eventual death of former Minister of Defense Al-Mahdi Al-Barghathi, kidnapping at least a further 7 individuals, and killing 60-70 bystanders in the process.
Accusations
Tariq Ben Zeyad Brigade has been accused of terrorizing people by committing "unlawful killings, torture and other ill-treatment, enforced disappearance, rape and other sexual violence, and forced displacement — with no fear of consequences". The TBZ has been involved in the forcible removal of thousands of refugees and migrants from Sabha and surrounding areas since late 2021, as well as the forced displacement of Libyan families during the LNA's military campaigns to take control of the cities of Benghazi and Derna in eastern Libya between 2014 and 2019.
References
- ^ "Amnesty International: Saddam Haftar-led Tariq bin Ziyad militia are responsible for catalogue horrors in Libya | The Libya Observer". libyaobserver.ly. Retrieved 2023-02-10.
- ^ "Libya: Amnesty accuses pro-Haftar brigade of 'war crimes'". Middle East Monitor. 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- "Chadian militia attack on Libya may help Haftar". Emerald Expert Briefings. oxan–es (oxan–es). 2018-01-01. doi:10.1108/OXAN-ES240862. ISSN 2633-304X.
- Client, Client (2021-08-24). "Haftar's son and Tariq Bin Ziyad Brigade meet with 166 Brigade to discuss the formation of a joint unit". Libya Security Monitor. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- "Pro-Haftar gunmen prevent Sabha court from looking into Saif Gaddafi's appeals | The Libya Observer". libyaobserver.ly. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- Client, Client (2022-06-29). "TBZ raids farms reportedly stationed with terrorist groups in the South". Libya Security Monitor. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- "Tariq bin Ziyad Brigade sets fire to the house of activist Senussi Al-Mahdi | The Libya Observer". libyaobserver.ly. Retrieved 2023-02-11.
- La Croix (newspaper). 16 November 2023. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
- "Libya: Hold commanders of Tariq Ben Zeyad armed group accountable for 'catalogue of horrors'". Amnesty International. 2022-12-19. Retrieved 2023-02-10.