Dear Friend,

On September 10, 2023, amid a powerful rainstorm, two dams in eastern Libya collapsed. The resulting flood virtually erased downtown Derna and likely killed more than 12,000 people.

A coastal city whose history connects back to Ancient Greece was abruptly washed away, with entire families swept into the sea, never to be recovered.

Published today, The Sentry’s new investigative alert sheds light on the corrupt operations that contributed to this disaster. We also reveal the new greed-driven schemes in Derna’s ongoing reconstruction that could lead to yet another catastrophe.

From the west, controlled by the Dabaiba family in Tripoli, to the east and south, where Field Marshal Haftar and his family reign supreme, the current system of dual kleptocracies has delivered terrible suffering for the people of Libya.

With revelations of suspect deals and shady operations, we present an array of recommendations to counter the spread of corruption and address the complicity of enablers in the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Egypt—all countries that are strategic partners of the United States.