By Juliana Katung
Libya has called on United Nations Security Council to lift arms embargo imposed on it to enable the country counter activities of terrorists in the region.
Libyan Foreign Minister, Mohammed al-Dairi made the call at an emergency session of the UN council meeting in New York.
He said terrorists activities in the country is becoming worrisome and needs be addressed urgently, explaining that the warring militias battling for control in Libya since 2011 are likely to take side with Islamic State terrorists.
The Minister emphasised that Libya needs a “decisive stance” from the international community to tackle terrorism.
“If we fail to have arms provided to us, this can only play into the hands of extremists,” he said.
According to him, lifting the embargo would help the country further strengthen its army to deal with rampant terrorism that engulfed the country.
Libya has been under an arms embargo since the 2011 uprising that ousted the former leader, Col Muammar Gaddafi.
Meanwhile the Egyptian Foreign Minister, Sameh Shoukry who supported the lifting of arms embago said terrorism activities in Libya in recent time has posed an enormous danger in the region.
He however called for a naval blockade on arms taken to areas that are not in the control of the internationally recognised Tobruk government in Libya.
Please send your stories and articles to [email protected]
