Libya to Italy: Seek France mediation to release captives from Haftar

Libyan Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar’s forces patrol through the streets of Libya [zdig1‏/Twitter]

Defence Minister of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) Salah Al-Din Al-Namroush told Italy to seek French mediation to release its fishermen held captive by the Libyan National Army led by Khalifa Haftar, news sites reported yesterday.

When he was asked by the Italian newspaper il Giornale about the 18 Italian fishermen who were detained while sailing in Libyan territorial waters, Al-Namroush said that the solution for their crisis should pass through France.

“Your foreign minister asked me how we could help,” Al-Namroush told the il Giornale’s reporter, “I replied: Italy is part of the EU and you have to go to France because its Foreign Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian enjoys good relations with Haftar.”

Al-Namroush, who was in Rome on Friday to sign a military cooperation deal, stressed that France “is able to interfere positively in this issue”.

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