Hadi Fornaji TRIPOLI – Faced with the continuing security crisis, Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zidan has taken the step of temporarily replacing the full Cabinet with an emergency streamlined one. The move – in effect creating an inner Cabinet – was formally announced following consultations with President of Congress Nuri Abu Sahmain. It had been expected. Last Wednesday, Zidan announced that, contrary to previous reports, he would not reshuffle the government but instead create an inner Cabinet to deal with the current situation. Led by himself, the crisis Cabinet consists of Defense Minister Abdullah Al-Thinni, Interior Minister Mohamed Sheikh, Foreign Minister Mohamed Abdulaziz, Finance Minister Abdulkarim Al-Kilani and Justice Minister Salah Marghani. It will meet daily or more often if needed. According to a statement, this will allow it to function more effectively in dealing with the crisis. The other ministers will still function normally in their respective posts. They simply will not be part of regular cabinet meetings. The move was precipitated by the spate of assassinations across Libya, notably in Benghazi where the prominent political activist Abdulsalam Musmari was murdered but also elsewhere, such as that of the commander of the Libya Shield battalion in Derna, Colonel Adnan Nuwaisiri. There have been even more attempted assassinations and attacks on security institutions. Some observers, as well as government officials, see the killings and attacks as part of a deliberate, coordinated move to destabilise Libya. Others see it as the consequence of a longterm breakdown in law and order. – Libya Herald
