Arab league calls for arming anti-IS forces in Libya
Arab league calls for arming anti-IS forces in Libya
The Arab League called for military support for the Libyan government against the IS in Libya at an emergency summit.
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Libyan government forces protested the arms embargo in Benghazi Friday [Getty]
The Arab League called Tuesday for an end to the arms embargo against Libya to facilitate the fight against the Islamic State group (IS) in Libya.
The league also called for an "urgent" Arab strategy to back Libya's government militarily against the IS, but stopped short of endorsing air strikes against the jihadists.
Mohammed al-Dairi, Foreign Minister of Libya’s internationally-recognised government based in Tobruk, appealed to the league for military assistance against the IS at an emergency Arab League meeting in Cairo.
He warned that his ill-equipped government is unable to fight off the IS, which he said was seeking to establish a base in Libya as it faced US-led airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.
The Cairo-based Arab bloc issued its calls to support the Libyan government after an extraordinary meeting to discuss a request by the internationally-recognised Libyan government to adopt measures to confront the IS, which has seized the coastal city of Sirte.
"The Arab League affirms that given the difficult situation, there is an urgent need to quickly put an Arab strategy in place that includes assisting Libya militarily in confronting Daesh's terrorism," a League statement said, referring to the IS by its Arabic acronym.
The internationally recognised Libyan government based in the country's east had on Sunday called for Arab air strikes against the jihadists.
"The Libyan air force is not capable of conducting air strikes against Daesh [the IS] in Sirte," Dairi said in opening remarks to permanent delegates to the bloc on Tuesday.
"Libyan national security is Arab national security... Libya is suffering and we are fed up with the atrocities of the terrorist groups."
The North African nation has been under a UN arms embargo since 2011. In March, the Security Council renewed the ban but under a resolution, allowed a sanctions committee to review any government's requests for exemptions from the embargo and arms exports.
The UN is concerned that if it allowed weapons into Libya, they could fall into the hands of multiple armed groups.
Appeals for help
Dairi's Tobruk-based government has in the past appealed for a lifting of the embargo, including after Libya's IS affiliate recently took control of the central coastal city of Sirte. It also asked for Arab countries to carry out airstrikes against the militant group in Libya.
Libya, which plunged into chaos after the ouster and killing of dictator Moammar Gaddafi in 2011, has two rival governments and parliaments, as well as several militia groups battling to control its oil wealth.
The IS, which already controls large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, has exploited this chaos, notably taking control in June of Sirte, 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli.
In February, the IS claimed the beheading of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya, mostly Egyptians, prompting air strikes by Cairo against the group inside its western neighbour.
Arab League officials said member states are meeting next week to discuss the formation of a joint Arab force to be used to intervene in regional crises and combat terrorism.
Arab army chiefs have so far met twice in Cairo to work out the details of building the force after it was approved by Arab leaders at a summit in March.
The league also called for an "urgent" Arab strategy to back Libya's government militarily against the IS, but stopped short of endorsing air strikes against the jihadists.
Mohammed al-Dairi, Foreign Minister of Libya’s internationally-recognised government based in Tobruk, appealed to the league for military assistance against the IS at an emergency Arab League meeting in Cairo.
He warned that his ill-equipped government is unable to fight off the IS, which he said was seeking to establish a base in Libya as it faced US-led airstrikes in Iraq and Syria.
The Cairo-based Arab bloc issued its calls to support the Libyan government after an extraordinary meeting to discuss a request by the internationally-recognised Libyan government to adopt measures to confront the IS, which has seized the coastal city of Sirte.
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The Arab League affirms there is an urgent need to put an Arab strategy in place that includes assisting Libya militarily. - Arab League statement. |
The internationally recognised Libyan government based in the country's east had on Sunday called for Arab air strikes against the jihadists.
"The Libyan air force is not capable of conducting air strikes against Daesh [the IS] in Sirte," Dairi said in opening remarks to permanent delegates to the bloc on Tuesday.
"Libyan national security is Arab national security... Libya is suffering and we are fed up with the atrocities of the terrorist groups."
The North African nation has been under a UN arms embargo since 2011. In March, the Security Council renewed the ban but under a resolution, allowed a sanctions committee to review any government's requests for exemptions from the embargo and arms exports.
The UN is concerned that if it allowed weapons into Libya, they could fall into the hands of multiple armed groups.
Appeals for help
Dairi's Tobruk-based government has in the past appealed for a lifting of the embargo, including after Libya's IS affiliate recently took control of the central coastal city of Sirte. It also asked for Arab countries to carry out airstrikes against the militant group in Libya.
Libya, which plunged into chaos after the ouster and killing of dictator Moammar Gaddafi in 2011, has two rival governments and parliaments, as well as several militia groups battling to control its oil wealth.
The IS, which already controls large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, has exploited this chaos, notably taking control in June of Sirte, 450 kilometres (280 miles) east of Tripoli.
In February, the IS claimed the beheading of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya, mostly Egyptians, prompting air strikes by Cairo against the group inside its western neighbour.
Arab League officials said member states are meeting next week to discuss the formation of a joint Arab force to be used to intervene in regional crises and combat terrorism.
Arab army chiefs have so far met twice in Cairo to work out the details of building the force after it was approved by Arab leaders at a summit in March.
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