On Thursday, unidentified individuals raided the headquarters of Libya's central bank in Tripoli, as announced by the bank. This incident occurred just hours after the parliament accepted the resignation of Governor Naji Issa.
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Issa first submitted his resignation over two months ago, but it was initially rejected by parliament. Libya has been in turmoil since the 2011 ousting of Moammar Gadhafi, with the country split between a U.N.-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east led by military commander Khalifa Haftar.
Earlier this month, a new speaker took charge of the eastern-based parliament, which operates under Haftar's influence. On Thursday, the legislature accepted Issa's resignation "in principle" and appointed Fauzi Abokhzam, a board member, as interim governor until a final decision is made.
The central bank reported that the raid occurred while Issa was absent and attributed responsibility to "all parties that participated in this act." The bank specifically mentioned the defense ministry, which oversees the protection of its headquarters, but did not elaborate on its role in the incident.
No comments have been made by the Tripoli government regarding the raid. Issa had previously been appointed as central bank chief in 2024 after a prolonged political standoff that also resulted in a halt to oil production amid a significant financial crisis. The reasons for his resignation in August remain unclear.