TRIPOLI – Some 20,000 foreign forces and mercenaries are in Libya despite a ceasefire and long-standing arms embargo, said the United Nations envoy yesterday, calling the situation a “shocking violation of Libyan sovereignty”.
Libya has been wracked by violence and chaos since the toppling and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.
Forces loyal to the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli and those of eastern strongman Khalifa Haftar formally agreed to a ceasefire in October.
Under the deal, all military units and armed groups must withdraw from the front lines, while mercenaries and foreign fighters must leave Libyan territory within 90 days.
“There are now 20,000 foreign forces and/or mercenaries in your country. That is a shocking violation of Libyan sovereignty,” the UN’s interim Libya envoy, Stephanie Williams, told a virtual meeting of a political dialogue forum.
“There (are) now 10 military bases in your country... that are today, either fully or partially, occupied by foreign forces.
“They are now occupying your house. This is a blatant violation of the arms embargo... They are pouring weapons into your country, a country that does not need more weapons.”
Haftar, supported by Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, launched an offensive on Tripoli in April last year, but was pushed back earlier this year as pro-GNA forces received key military support from Turkey.
The latest round of the UN-sponsored political dialogue forum is taking place virtually, after a first in-person session in the Tunisian capital last month.
The forum is part of a push to end almost a decade of violence in the North African country.
At the Tunis meeting, delegates agreed to hold elections on December 24 next year, but not on who will lead the political transition. – AFP, December 3, 2020
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