There are reliable reports that the Sanctions Committee of the United National Security Council has added Ansar Al-Sharia in Derna and Benghazi to its list of designated terror groups linked to Al-Qaeda.
The listing means that the two Ansar organisations, together with their members, face asset freezes, an embargo on the supply of weapons and ammunition and global travel bans.
The United Nations has not yet released a formal statement confirming the decision. The Americans, British and French asked on 5 November that Ansar be added to the list of proscribed organisations under Security Council resolution 2174. This targets individuals or groups associated with Al-Qaeda wherever they are.
The petition said that Ansar had strong links to Al-Qaeda in the Islamic Maghreb (AQIM) and that its operation in Derna had just pledged its allegiance to ISIS in Syria and Iraq. It had established an Islamic court and police force and was conduction public floggings.
Security Council members had until today to raise an objection, otherwise the ban would kick in automatically. It appears that none of the 15 Council members voiced any opposition and that the key terrorist organisation designation and the consequent sanctions are now in place.
Hadi Fornaji
