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The Origins and Evolution of ISIS in Libya

A conversation with:
Mr. Jason Pack
Founder & Emeritus Director
Eye on ISIS in Libya
Executive Director
US Libya Business Association

Ms. Rhiannon Smith
Managing Director
Libya-Analysis
Eye on ISIS in Libya

Dr. Christopher Chivvis
Associate Director, International Security and Defense Policy Center; Senior Political Scientist
RAND Corporation

Moderated by:

Dr. Karim Mezran
Senior Fellow, Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East
Atlantic Council

Introduced by:

Ms. Mirette F. Mabrouk
Deputy Director and Director for Research & Programs, Rafik Hariri Center for the Middle East
Atlantic Council

Despite the ejection of the Islamic State from the Libyan city of Sirte in 2016, the terror group remains a threat in Libya, along with other extremist groups in the country. Libya’s fragmented political arena and increasing escalation among rivals on the ground further contribute to growing instability in the country. Examining the origins of the Islamic State and other jihadist actors in Libya presents insights into the formation of these groups, how they interfere in post-conflict state building, the threats they pose, and the complexities that arise after they no longer hold territory but continue to perpetrate attacks. Libya holds an important position in the global jihadist network. Indeed, the British-Libyan perpetrator of the May 2017 attack in Manchester emerged out of that network, as did the June 3 London Bridge attacker.

The Rafik Hariri Center will convene a discussion on its new report, The Origins and Evolution of ISIS in Libya. The unique, comprehensive, and groundbreaking report examines the jihadist dynamics in Libya and offers recommendations to address this threat. The discussion will feature the report’s co-authors Jason Pack, Rhiannon Smith, and Karim Mezran, and the RAND Corporation's Christopher Chivvis.