UN: Troops in Libya are for security reasons only

The UN Support Mission in Libya has insisted that the presence of UN troops in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, will be for security purposes only.

The troops will be present to guard UNSMIL’s premises in Tripoli.

An UNSMIL spokesman was responding to continuing media reports that there were to be up to 200 “Blue Berets” stationed in Libya. “With the gradual return of the UN staff to Libya we will need to also boost our security personnel to protect the staff and the UN premises. That is all. This will also happen gradually.”

The spokesman reiterated that UNSMIL is a political mission and not a peacekeeping mission, the Libya Herald reported.

The security personnel will not engage in any way or form with Libyans…outside the premises Libyan authorities are responsible for our security. We have repeatedly affirmed our commitment to Libyan sovereignty and that has not changed.

Read: Egypt to restructure Libya’s army under Haftar’s command

Presidential Council Head Fayez Al-Sarraj was in New York yesterday to meet with new UNSMIL chief Ghassan Salame to discuss proposed changes to the Libyan Political Agreement with the hopes that the altered version will be welcomed by rival groups who have refused to honour the agreement since it was signed in 2015.

Arab states who are active in mediating a solution have said a solution to the political crisis in Libya can only be through non-violent means without the interference of external forces, while placing Libya’s demands at the forefront.

However continuing political and militia wars in the North African country have stunted progress since long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi was ousted and killed in 2011 with Libya divided between tribal and regional allies.