Pro-Government Militias
Special Deterrent Force (Anti-crime unit) (Libya)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 600 |
| Country: | Libya |
| Date formed: | Jan. 1, 2014 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | year |
| Details of Formation: | The group was first mentioned in 2014. It might have existed already before that date. It is unclear when exactly the group became pro-government. According to Wikipedia, it was formed out of the dissolved SSC PGM; the dissolution of the SSC is however contrary to other news sources. |
| Date dissolved: | Aug. 4, 2014 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | day |
| Details of Termination: | The SDF opposed the Tobruk-based HoR government that took over in August 2014, and instead backed the Tripoli-based rebel government. They stayed active and continued to be an anti-crime unit for the Tripoli government. Later they became supporters of the internationally recognized GNA government founded 2016 (Human Rights Watch 2017) |
| Termination Type(s): | change in government |
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? | unclear |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | semi-official (type 2) |
| 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: | no information |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | no information |
| Shared Personnel: | yes |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | domestic government |
| State Sponsor(s): | none |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | religious |
| Primary Membership: | no information |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Tripoli, Sabratha, Zawiah, Benghazi, Sirte, Dernah, Zwarah |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | criminals; rebels, insurgents, or other armed group |
| Purpose(s): | anti crime |
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 Special Deterrence Force (SDF) is also known as RADA SDF. It is a radical Islamist special operations military police (Wikipedia). |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The group was formed for the purpose of fighting crime that had augmented in the political vacuum in Tripoli. The SDF was very active in pursuing this purpose by seizing explosives, unregulated goods, arresting suspected terrorists and other criminals, among other activities (Wikipedia). Local authorities aligned with the SDF as they were unable to maintain security by other means. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | |
| 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: |
Organisation
| Organisation: | The group operated under the Ministry of Interior and was formed and lead by the Islamist Abdul Raouf Kara (Wikipedia). According to the Report “Libya: Militia, Tribes and Islamists”, it is headed by police captain Haytham al-Tajuri who was appointed as part of a demobilization campaign aimed at giving militia leaders the opportunity to integrate into high levels within the security sector. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.