The upcoming Palermo Conference on Libya —which will be held on 12-13 Nov.— will bring together the main Libyan parties, with the purpose of defining platforms for negotiation between the different components of Libya’s fragmented political arena.
Sources told 218 that intensive security precautions were adopted by the Italian security authorities. About 3,000 police, special forces, and intelligence personnel will take part in securing the meeting and members of international delegations, including the Libyan delegations.
The security plan included imposing a 3 km security cordon around the hotel that will host the conference and the residences of guests and participants. An aerial surveillance will be conducted around the clock in the area during the conference, and jamming devices will be deployed also.
Italian authorities have asked the residents of the area to evacuate their houses immediately or restrict their movement starting from 8 Nov, until the end of the conference and the departure of guests on 13 Nov.
The sources revealed the American side has not sent yet any official details about its participation in the conference, however the U.S. President Donald Trump, who will be in Europe for a meeting with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, is expected to attend the conference in Palermo.
Italian intelligence officials expressed their distrust in the ability of Libyan parties to abide by the meetings’ results, citing the conflicting goals and different agendas of each party.
In addition to the head of the Presidential Council of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez Sarraj, and the strongman of the east, General Khalifa Haftar, Italy must ensure the presence of high level representatives from Russia, the United States, Egypt, and main actors of the European Union: France and Italy.
Since Muammar Gaddafi’s ouster, Libya has spiraled into civil war between several parties competing for the power causing divisions inside the national army.
There have been two major factions on the ground since 2014; one led by Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), who now controls the eastern side of Libya in cooperation with the Tobruk parliament. The other is led by Sarraj in Tripoli.
Meanwhile, the Islamic State (IS) and other terrorist groups took advantage of the conflict and established a foothold in the country, posing threats to Libya’s neighbors.
