Pro-Government Militias
Al-Sawaiq Brigade for Protection (Libya)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 598 |
| Country: | Libya |
| Date formed: | Aug. 23, 2011 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | day |
| Details of Formation: | Al-Swaiq, from Zintan, was a rebel group during the civil uprising in 2011. After the fall of Gaddafi on 23 August 2011, it aligned with the National Transitional Council. |
| Date dissolved: | Feb. 1, 2014 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | month |
| Details of Termination: | The group is coded as terminated in February 2014, when it asked the parliament (the GNC, then government) to step down. This marks the first recorded statement against the GNC. Another source mentions in general that the group was against the GNC; it might thus possibly have been anti-government since any time the GNC constituted the government (since 2012-08-08). |
| Termination Type(s): | PGM defects |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | yes |
| Former Armed Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group? | yes |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | 5940 |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | yes |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | 5940 |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: | no | Main Creating Government Institution: | none |
| Government Link(s): | state (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | None |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | no information |
| Shared Personnel: | no information |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | religious |
| Primary Membership: | unclear |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Zintan, Nafusa mountains |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | rebels, insurgents, or other armed group; other pro-government militias |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious leader(s) |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | The Al-Sawaiq Brigade has strong connections to the Al-Qa’qa’ PGM. Al-Sawaiq is a Zintan militia and might be part of the Al-Zintan Revolutionaries’ Military Council. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The Al-Sawaiq Brigade provides personal protection for senior figures at the National Transitional Council, including the former Prime Minister. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | Information was taken from news sources listed in the PGMD. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | unknown |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | The group is thought to be the most heavily armed in Libya. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | A report from 2014 says the group was headed by Imad al-Tarabulsi, who is known to keep a low profile. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.