The Crisis in Libya and the Rise of Jihadism and Migration
The Crisis in Libya and the Rise of Jihadism and Migration

Author(s): Alicja Minda, Patrycja Sasnal
Subject(s): Security and defense, Military policy, Geopolitics, Peace and Conflict Studies
Published by: PISM Polski Instytut Spraw Międzynarodowych
Keywords: Libya; Migrations; terrorism; Al Qaeda; Islamic State; jihadism; Middle East and North Africa; North Africa; refugees; terrorist organisations
Summary/Abstract: Five years after the downfall of Muammar Qaddafi in 2011, Libya is the second most-destabilised Arab state after Syria, with multiple local centres of power, some 2,000 militias in intertwined conflict, a growing people-smuggling market and expanding terrorist organisations, namely Al-Qaeda and the so-called Islamic State. Located just 450 km from Europe’s shores, Libya may this year become the new centre of operations for jihadist movements, elevating the terrorist threat to Europe, as well as a major migration route should the process of forming a national unity government under the auspices of the UN fail and the Eastern Mediterranean route via Turkey and Greece be shut down.

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