As expected after his resignation of a few days ago, Abdullah Thinni has been given a new mandate as Prime Minister, this time by the House of Representatives, and has now two weeks to form a new cabinet. Media reports indicate that Thinni has been asked to put together a slimmed down cabinet, with the hope that this, alongside a full and not Caretaker mandate, will enable him to achieve the results required to gather enough consensus to defuse the current crisis.
Meanwhile, in Tripoli, forces belonging to the Libya Dawn operation are trying to put facts on the ground and project an aura of legitimacy and sovereignty. As reported today by David Kirkpatrick for the New York Times, despite announcements from the government that ministerial buildings and state infrastructures in the capital were not safe due to militia presence, after a month long battle the perception in the streets seems to be a different one.
Residents of Tripoli said Monday that life was beginning to return to the city after a month of fighting. Businesses that had been closed were beginning to reopen, gas and electricity shortages were becoming less severe, and traffic was returning to the streets.But the victors in the fight have also attacked and burned the homes of people accused of backing the other side; one target was the home of Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni.
Reports emerged that indiscriminate attacks targeted also the Tawerghan refugee camp located in Tripoli.
Finally, it is worth mentioning that a potential 'Ghariani Case' materialised and rapidly dissolved in the UK over the weekend. As the Guardian revealed that the Libyan Mufti was currently based in England, questions arose with regards to the legitimacy of his stay in the country, particularly in light of the statements Ghariani made in the past months with regards to the legitimacy of Ansar al-Shari'a as well as with his more recent statements directed against the HoR and inciting Libya Dawn forces to use the iron fist in Tripoli. Ghariani is now said to be in Qatar, one of the country rumored to be most involved in the proxy war that Libya is becoming.