Arab League, UN, EU and AU Demand Foreign Forces Leave Libya

Turkish-trained members of Libya's special forces demonstrate their skills during a graduation ceremony in the coastal city al-Khums, about 120kms east of the capital Tripoli, on April 8, 2021 - AFP
Turkish-trained members of Libya's special forces demonstrate their skills during a graduation ceremony in the coastal city al-Khums, about 120kms east of the capital Tripoli, on April 8, 2021 - AFP
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Arab League, UN, EU and AU Demand Foreign Forces Leave Libya

Turkish-trained members of Libya's special forces demonstrate their skills during a graduation ceremony in the coastal city al-Khums, about 120kms east of the capital Tripoli, on April 8, 2021 - AFP
Turkish-trained members of Libya's special forces demonstrate their skills during a graduation ceremony in the coastal city al-Khums, about 120kms east of the capital Tripoli, on April 8, 2021 - AFP

The Arab League, United Nations, European Union and the African Union on Tuesday demanded an immediate withdrawal of all foreign forces from Libya.

In a statement after a videoconference by its leaders, the Libya Quartet demanded "full compliance with the arms embargo and the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all foreign forces and mercenaries from the entirety of Libya's territory."

The much-violated arms embargo has been in place since 2011, when an uprising toppled longtime Libyan dictator Moamer Kadhafi during the regional upheaval known as the Arab Spring, AFP reported.

The UN estimates that some 20,000 foreign fighters, mainly troops from Turkey and mercenaries from Russia, Syria, Chad and Sudan, are currently deployed in the country.

In recent weeks, the possible departure of Syrian mercenaries has been raised and, this weekend, N'Djamena mentioned the arrival in Chad from Libya of several hundred Chadian mercenaries who may have contributed to the fighting that led to the death of President Idriss Deby.

During its meeting, the Libya Quartet "condemned the continued violations of the UN arms embargo and emphasized that all external military intervention in Libya is unacceptable."

It also called for "the sustained implementation of measures to fully identify and dismantle these groups."



Syria to Sign Deal to Import Electricity from Türkiye

FILE PHOTO: A general view taken with a drone shows part of Idlib city, Syria June 8, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A general view taken with a drone shows part of Idlib city, Syria June 8, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah/File Photo
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Syria to Sign Deal to Import Electricity from Türkiye

FILE PHOTO: A general view taken with a drone shows part of Idlib city, Syria June 8, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: A general view taken with a drone shows part of Idlib city, Syria June 8, 2017. REUTERS/Ammar Abdullah/File Photo

Syria is set to sign a deal to import electricity from Türkiye through a 400-kilovolt transmission line between the two countries "soon", the Syrian state news agency cited the country's energy minister as saying on Sunday.

Syria is also working on establishing a natural gas pipeline connecting the Turkish border town of Kilis and Syria's northern city of Aleppo, minister Mohamed al-Bashir said.

"The pipeline will allow the supply of 6 million cubic meters of gas per day to power plants in Syria which will contribute in improving the country's energy situation," he added.

Syria has suffered from severe power shortages. On separate occasions, the country said it was working with partners including Gulf states, in the energy and electricity sectors.