Masked armed men wearing military uniforms attempted to force their way into the headquarters of Libya’s Audit Bureau in Tripoli on Wednesday, prompting condemnation from the United Nations over what it described as an attempt to impose a disputed senior appointment through intimidation.
Video footage circulated on social media showed several men dressed in beige military fatigues and hats gathered outside the entrance to the financial oversight institution, which is responsible for monitoring public spending and protecting state funds.
The identity of those involved remained unclear, and the Audit Bureau did not immediately comment on the incident.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) said force and intimidation had been used in an effort to install a disputed deputy head of the institution.
In a statement, the mission strongly condemned the attempted intervention, warning that imposing appointments through coercion threatened the independence of Libya’s state institutions.
“The use of force to impose appointments to sovereign institutions is wholly unacceptable and represents a grave threat to the rule of law and the independence and integrity of Libya’s sovereign institutions,” UNSMIL said.
The mission expressed particular concern that the incident targeted an independent financial watchdog responsible for ensuring transparency and accountability in the management of public resources.
Libya has faced prolonged political and security instability since the 2011 uprising that removed longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Political divisions and disputes over control of state institutions have continued to complicate governance, while armed groups, including some operating within official security structures, have periodically sought to exert influence over government facilities and financial resources in Tripoli.
Wednesday’s incident renewed concerns over the security of independent oversight bodies and the use of armed pressure in disputes over senior government appointments.
