Libya FM confirms start of departure of mercenaries

Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush (L) and Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Dr. Ahmed Nasser Al-Mohammed Al-Sabah (R) hold a joint press conference during an official visit in Kuwait City, Kuwait on 3 October 2021. [Jaber Abdulkhaleg – Anadolu Agency]

Some foreign fighters have already left Libya as the government seeks to mobilise international assistance to see the remaining members withdraw, the minister of foreign affairs said yesterday.

“The reports are correct. There is a very modest start,” Najla Al-Mangoush said at a joint press conference held in Kuwait with her Kuwaiti counterpart Ahmed Al-Nasser Al-Sabah.

“We are still seeking a larger and comprehensive organisation for the exit of mercenaries,” she added.

According to the United Nations reports, over the years, the warring sides in Libya have brought in mercenaries, including via Russia’s Wagner group, from numerous countries including Syria, Sudan and Chad.

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