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Is Benghazi safe? 🇱🇾

Libya · Safety report last updated

As of October 2026, Benghazi scores 20/100 on the IsMyTripSafe composite safety index — verdict: elevated risk — reconsider. Benghazi is considered a high-risk destination, with official advisories strongly recommending against all but essential travel. The main risks for visitors are pickpocketing (moderate risk) and robbery (high risk).

Safety Report

IsMyTripSafe.com

Benghazi 🇱🇾

Libya · Assessed 13 October 2026

20

/ 100

Elevated risk — reconsider

Safer than ~7% of countries

Score capped at 20 — Level 4 advisory — "Do Not Travel". No other indicator can raise the score above this.

District map

What drives this score

Crime42/100CautionCrime index 55.9 / 100
Sentiment38/100ElevatedVery Negative
Advisories0Elevated
Stability37Elevated
Health63Fair

01 · Official Guidance

Advisories

Elevated

UK Foreign Office (FCDO)

Level 3

Advises against all travel to parts of the country

“Your travel insurance could be invalidated if you travel against advice from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO). Areas where FCDO advises against travel FCDO advises against all travel to Libya except for the cities of: Tripoli Benghazi, Al-Bayda and Derna, and the surrounding area known as Jebel Akhdar, either side of the coastal and desert roads between and including the towns of Al-Maqrun and Al-Tamimi Misrata FCDO advises against all but essential travel to the cities of: Tripoli Benghazi, Al-Bayda and Derna, and the surrounding area knows as Jebel Akhdar, either side of the coastal and desert roads between and including the towns of Al-Maqrun and Al-Tamimi Misrata Find out more about why the FCDO advises against travel.”

Updated 2026-10-07T11:10:19Z

Full advisory →

Government of Canada

Level 4

Avoid all travel

“Canada's official risk level for Libya: avoid all travel.”

Updated 2026-10-06T09:33:28.3829043-04:00

Full advisory →

02 · Evidence Signals

Crime

Caution

Mugging & robbery risk

High risk
34

City SignalCity Web Research

Pickpocketing & theft risk

Moderate risk
78

City SignalCity Web Research

Visitor safety sentiment

20 / 100 (Very Negative)
20

City SignalCity Web Research

Urban scale factor

757k residents
71

City SignalCity Geocoding

Crime index (crowdsourced)

55.9 / 100
47

City SignalNumbeo Crime Index

Homicide rate

2.1 / 100kHomicide rate · per 100kJapan0.2Switzerland0.6World avg5.2United States5.8Brazil19.3South Africa43.7
85

Country BaselineWHO Global Health Observatory · 2021

Feel safe walking alone after dark

No data
—

Country BaselineUN SDG Global Database

Physical assault (past year)

No data
—

Country BaselineUN SDG Global Database

Robbery / mugging

High

While specific street crime data for Benghazi is limited, the overall instability and high crime rate in Libya suggest a significant risk of robbery and detention for foreign visitors.

Pickpocketing

Moderate

Pickpocketing is not the primary concern; the risk is more towards opportunistic crime and detention due to the general instability.

03 · Environment

Health & Air

Fair

Air quality

US AQI 34 · Good

Open-Meteo Air Quality

Hospitals

35 beds / 10k · country avg

WHO Global Health Observatory

Weather

October: highs ~33°C · strong winds

Open-Meteo

Road safety

34.0 / 100k

WHO Global Health Observatory

Natural hazards

No active alerts · low seismicity
100

Country BaselineGDACS / USGS

CDC travel health notices · none for this destination

Worldwide notices (not specific to this trip): Polio, Dengue, Measles

04 · Institutions

Stability

Elevated

Political stability & no terrorism

33/100
33

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2025

Terrorism deaths (latest year)

1.7 / million
67

Country BaselineGlobal Terrorism Database · 2021

Rule of law

31/100
31

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2025

Control of corruption

17/100
17

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2025

▸ 3 more indicators

Government effectiveness

22/100
22

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2025

Regulatory quality

27/100
27

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2025

Voice & accountability

31/100
31

Country BaselineWorld Bank Governance Indicators · 2025

05 · Field Research

Current Situation

Elevated

Traveller sentiment score

Very Negative

38/100

Reported feel20Very Negative
Robbery risk34High risk
Pickpocket risk78Moderate risk

Official advisories from multiple governments strongly discourage travel, indicating a very low level of perceived safety for visitors.

Benghazi is considered a high-risk destination, with official advisories strongly recommending against all but essential travel.

Multiple governments advise against all but essential travel to Benghazi due to the volatile security situation. While some organized tourism operates, visitors must adhere to strict security protocols, including mandatory escorts, and be aware of potential dangers and scams.

Recent developments

  • Aug 2026East Libya military intelligence chief killed in car bomb blast.— The Arab Weekly
  • Jul 2026FCDO updated travel advice to against all but essential travel to Benghazi.— GOV.UK
  • Feb 2026Report on Benghazi attack suspect linked to 2012 US embassy incident.— New York Post
  • Feb 2024Migrant trafficking reaching tourism fairs, with a mention of Benghazi.— EL PAÍS English

Common scams

  • Financial fraud targeting citizens, with foreign nationals sometimes implicated.
  • Online scams using Libya as a cover.
Which areas are safe? District-by-district ratings are on the Safety Map→

Full briefing

Benghazi presents a high-risk travel environment, with official advisories from the UK, Canada, and the US strongly recommending against all but essential travel. The security situation remains volatile, evidenced by recent incidents such as the car bomb that killed an East Libya military intelligence chief in August 2026.

For any travel to Benghazi, a government-appointed security escort is mandatory, a measure that, while potentially restrictive, is intended to mitigate risks and provide up-to-date security intelligence. The dossier indicates that while organized tourism is operating, it requires significant adherence to security protocols. Be aware that foreign nationals have been implicated in large financial fraud cases, suggesting a risk of scams.

Given the unstable political climate and the general lack of rule of law, visitors should exercise extreme caution. Avoid displaying valuable items like cameras or phones, and do not resist if confronted by criminals, as this could escalate to violence. The risk of detention for unspecified reasons is also a concern. Travelers should stay informed by regularly monitoring local news and media for any changes in the security situation.

Was this Benghazi, Libya report helpful?

IsMyTripSafe.com

Not legal or medical advice

Report generated 13 October 2026

Sources: U.S. State Dept · UK FCDO · World Bank · WGI · UNODC · WHO · UN SDG · Global Terrorism Database · Numbeo · OpenStreetMap · Open-Meteo · CDC. Composite index recomputed at request time.

Links:

06 · Neighbourhoods

Safest areas and areas to avoid

5 districts

Our field research rated 5 Benghazi districts for visitors, 3 needing caution and 2 best avoided. See them plotted on the Benghazi safety map.

Districts with higher levels of dangeravoidSpecific neighborhoods are known for increased crime and potential conflict due to factional control.

Outskirts/Fringe areasavoidLess information available, likely to be less secure and more prone to instability.

City CentercautionGenerally controlled by LNA with stronger security, but still subject to general instability.

Coastal AreascautionSimilar to the city center, with a visible security presence but underlying risks.

Areas controlled by Libyan National Army (LNA)cautionThese areas are considered relatively safer due to a stronger security presence.

0 safer3 caution2 avoidOpen the district map

07 · After Dark

Is Benghazi safe at night?

While specific street crime data for Benghazi is limited, the overall instability and high crime rate in Libya suggest a significant risk of robbery and detention for foreign visitors.

After dark, be most careful around Districts with higher levels of danger, Outskirts/Fringe areas, City Center, Coastal Areas. Stick to busy, well-lit streets and licensed taxis or ride-hail late at night.

08 · Questions

Benghazi safety FAQ (2026)

Is Benghazi safe right now (2026)?

Benghazi is considered a high-risk destination, with official advisories strongly recommending against all but essential travel. Multiple governments advise against all but essential travel to Benghazi due to the volatile security situation. While some organized tourism operates, visitors must adhere to strict security protocols, including mandatory escorts, and be aware of potential dangers and scams. (Assessed 13 October 2026.)

Is Benghazi safe for women, families and solo travelers?

Safety is not one number, and this Benghazi report does not pretend it is: the score is re-weighted for who is travelling. A woman travelling alone, a family with children and a solo backpacker face different street-level risks, so the headline score shifts and the report leads with the findings that matter for that group. Personalize this report in one click to see the 2026 score and safety briefing for your specific travellers.

Which areas of Benghazi should tourists avoid?

Field research flags Districts with higher levels of danger, Outskirts/Fringe areas as best avoided. See the district-by-district safety map.

What are the most common scams in Benghazi (2026)?

  • Financial fraud targeting citizens, with foreign nationals sometimes implicated.
  • Online scams using Libya as a cover.

How does Benghazi compare with other places in Libya (2026)?

Benghazi ranks #1 of 2 Libya destinations we've assessed, scoring 20/100. See the Libya safety overview for the full list.

How is this benghazi safety score calculated (2026)?

The score blends 10+ public data sources — government advisories, UNODC/World Bank crime statistics, FBI crime data for U.S. cities, WHO health data, live air quality and disaster alerts — with AI field research over current local reporting. The databases carry the bulk of the weight; the traveller-sentiment score from field research carries the rest. Full methodology.

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Raw data: benghazi.json (CC BY 4.0).