On 13 February, Chatham House published a research paper by Tim Eaton and Lubna Yousef, titled ‘How migrant smuggling has fuelled conflict in Libya’. The paper looks at the development of migrant smuggling and trafficking networks through three key transit hubs across Libya: Kufra, Sebha and Zawiya. The authors argue that Libyan actors use such networks to leverage smuggling and counter-migration practices for financial and political support. This, the paper explains, fuels a dispute over authority in each location, which spurs competition that leads to violent conflict.
Read the full research paper here.