Fragmentation of Territories, Resources Trafficking and Predation at the Root of the Emergence of Terrorism in Libya: How did Fezzan Become a Sanctuary for Daesh?

Abstract

The post-insurgency situation in Libya is characterized by territorial division, the resurgence of tribal identities and a high level of conflict. This
fragmentation is reflected in the absence of any control over entire sections of the country, which are transformed into empty interstices or “hollows of
the State” invested by Daesh. The organization was able to take advantage of the inextricable divisions that tear the militias and the territories apart to
undertake the construction of its territorialized project in Sirte and Derna before experiencing a military defeat. Its migration (hijra) towards Fezzan,
in order to constitute a sanctuary there, certainly knew some premises of resilience of the organization, but quickly found itself in the face of resistance
on the part of the powerful local tribal factions.