Libya Faces Threat of Islamic State Resurgence Amid Political Fragmentation
Libya Faces Threat of Islamic State Resurgence Amid Political Fragmentation
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Despite the significant blow suffered by the Islamic State (IS) in Libya, the militant group remains a persistent threat. A recent analysis by The Jamestown Foundation finds that while IS’s Libyan network was degraded, it retains resilience through ties to transnational smuggling, financial fraud and regional instability.
Libya’s deep political and militia fragmentation is a key enabler for IS. In the west, Prime Minister Abdel Hamid Dbeibah’s Government of National Unity (GNU) battles competing armed groups, while in the east, Khalifa Haftar’s takeover of major military leadership roles deepens the governance vacuum.
The study reports that IS-linked cells operate in the southern Fezzan region—particularly around Sabha—where they run logistics, recruiting, and weapons networks connecting Libya to the Sahel and Sudan.
The detection of approximately 560 explosive ordnance items and recent arrests of three IS cells illustrate their ongoing foothold.
Of particular concern is a September 2025 propaganda piece by IS’s “al-Naba” magazine, which dubbed Libya a “launching pad” for renewed jihad and criticised European “crusader plans.”
The Jamestown report calls for swift coordinated action by Libya’s authorities and international partners—especially in the Sahel-Mediterranean nexus—to reinforce border control, intelligence sharing, and governance reform to prevent a full IS comeback.
