Libya's foreign minister asked the UN Security Council on Wednesday to lift an arms embargo so the country can fight the growing threat of the Islamic State terrorist group.
Foreign Minister Mohammed al Dairi spoke to an emergency session of the council days following the airing of a video showing the group’s beheading of 21 Egyptians in the Libyan city of Sirte.
He also informed the Security Council that the Libyan government officially asked Egypt to continue airstrikes against terrorists as part of the support of the army.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry told the council that there should be no confusion between bring political solution to the conflict in Libya and pressuring the legitimate freely elected House of Representatives to make concessions to terrorist groups.
Shoukry called for lifting the arms embargo against the government of Libya and the need for a naval blockade on arms heading to areas of Libya outside the control of legitimate authorities.
“It is the responsibility of the international community to support the Libyan army in terms of training and arming,” al Dairi told the SC. He underlined the latest victories by the army against the terrorists in second largest city in Libya, Benghazi.
“There should be no silence about the terrorism menace in Libya as the challenges faced by the legitimate government in Libya have become clear and obvious to all,” he added.
While the government supports the dialogue between rival factions in Libya which is sponsored by the UN, the strengthening of the Libyan army is the only solution to get rid of the terrorists who are becoming a threat to neighboring countries and also to Europe, Al Dairi said.
Both al Dairi and Shoukry said that Jordan would circulate a draft resolution the issue of Libya later Wednesday.
He said Jordan was expected to circulate a draft resolution on the issue later Wednesday.
