UN chief to foreign forces: ‘Leave Libya alone!’

The United Nations (UN) Security Council and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres have called on thousands of foreign fighters and mercenaries to immediately leave Libya, with Guterres exclaiming: “Leave the Libyans alone!”

Guterres pointed out that: “The ceasefire is holding. It’s essential that all foreign troops and all foreign mercenaries move first to Benghazi and to Tripoli and, from there, move back and leave the Libyans alone, because the Libyans have already proven that, left alone, they are able to address their problems.”

The UN Security Council also discussed the situation in Libya and called in a statement for “the withdrawal of all foreign fighters and mercenaries without any further delay,” while asking all Libyans and international actors to respect the arms embargo and ceasefire agreement.

Libya has been divided since 2014 between the internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in the capital, Tripoli, and the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Khalifa Haftar in the east.

The two administrations agreed to a ceasefire last October, but their forces did not withdraw.

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