Libya FM Urges Withdrawal of Foreign Fighters

Libyan FM Najla al-Manqoush. (AFP file photo)
Libyan FM Najla al-Manqoush. (AFP file photo)
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Libya FM Urges Withdrawal of Foreign Fighters

Libyan FM Najla al-Manqoush. (AFP file photo)
Libyan FM Najla al-Manqoush. (AFP file photo)

Libya’s top diplomat Monday called for the departure of foreign forces and mercenaries from the North African country as it heads toward elections later this year.

Najla al-Manqoush, foreign minister of Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU), urged Turkey to implement UN Security Council resolutions demanding the repatriation of more than 20,000 foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libya.

Her remarks came at a joint news conference with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu. He visited the capital of Tripoli with Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and other top military and intelligence officials.

“We call on (Turkey) to take steps to implement all the provisions of ... the Security Council resolutions and to cooperate together to expel all foreign forces and mercenaries from the Libyan territories,” she said.

The remarks were seen as a rebuke to Turkey, which has deployed troops and Syrian mercenaries to fight along with Tripoli militias since forces of military commander Khalifa aifter launched their attack on the capital in 2019.

Cavusoglu responded by saying that Turkish forces were in Libya as part of a training agreement reached with a previous Libya administration. “There are those who equate our legal presence ... with the foreign mercenary groups that fight in this country for money,” he said.

Turkey has been closely involved in Libya. It backed the Government of National Accord (GNA) based in Tripoli against Hafter’s forces. Turkey sent military supplies and fighters to Libya helping to tilt the balance of power in favor of the GNA.

Turkey also signed an agreement with the Tripoli-based government delineating the maritime boundaries between the two countries in the Mediterranean. That triggered protests from Greece and Cyprus. Both countries denounced the agreement saying it was a serious breach of international law that disregarded the rights of other eastern Mediterranean countries.

Libya’s interim government, which took power in March, is tasked with bringing together a country that has been torn apart by conflict for nearly a decade. It also aims to steer Libya through a general election on Dec. 24.

Security Council diplomats say there are more than 20,000 foreign fighters and mercenaries in Libya, including 13,000 Syrians and 11,000 Sudanese, along with Russians and Chadians.

The Security Council’s 15 member nations agreed in an informal meeting last week that getting the foreign fighters and mercenaries to go home was the only way forward, according to the officials.



Salam: $12 Billion Needed for Lebanon’s Post-War Reconstruction

Officials are seen at the roundtable on the Emergency Support Project for Lebanon. (Prime Minister’s Office)
Officials are seen at the roundtable on the Emergency Support Project for Lebanon. (Prime Minister’s Office)
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Salam: $12 Billion Needed for Lebanon’s Post-War Reconstruction

Officials are seen at the roundtable on the Emergency Support Project for Lebanon. (Prime Minister’s Office)
Officials are seen at the roundtable on the Emergency Support Project for Lebanon. (Prime Minister’s Office)

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced that the cost of the country’s recovery following the latest destructive war with Israel is estimated at approximately $12 billion, stressing that the goal “is not only to rebuild, but to build back better through a more sustainable, inclusive, and transparent approach.”

Speaking at a roundtable on the “Emergency Support Project for Lebanon,” Salam outlined the urgent need for international funding to rehabilitate critical services and public infrastructure severely damaged by the war.

The event gathered diplomats from Arab, European, and Western countries, alongside representatives from global institutions and aid organizations.

“Lebanon stands at a critical crossroads,” Salam said in his opening remarks. “Despite hopes for a summer of renewal, the country is grappling with the devastating consequences of the Israeli war, which has cost many lives and crippled essential infrastructure nationwide.”

According to Salam, the Nabatieh and South Governorates suffered the most destruction, followed by parts of Mount Lebanon, including Beirut’s southern suburbs. The economic toll has been steep, with Lebanon’s real GDP contracting by 7.1% in 2024, compared to just 0.9% the previous year. Since 2020, Lebanon’s economy has shrunk by nearly 40%, deepening an already severe financial crisis.

To address this, the government launched the Lebanon Emergency Assistance Program (LEAP) initiative, a $1 billion framework designed to transition from immediate relief to long-term reconstruction.

Salam described LEAP as a transformative agenda, not merely a stopgap measure. The program focuses on restoring services, rebuilding infrastructure, and laying the foundation for climate-resilient and inclusive recovery.

LEAP prioritizes transparency and regional equity, with mechanisms across ministries to ensure aid reaches the communities most in need. “This is not a project Lebanon can undertake alone,” Salam said. “We are calling for coordinated international support within a unified, state-led framework that strengthens national institutions and rebuilds public trust.”

“The collapse of Lebanon’s financial sector is not just due to crisis,” he added, “but to years of poor governance and impunity. Meaningful reform is no longer optional, it is essential.”

In a related development, Salam revealed that over 500 weapons depots in southern Lebanon have been dismantled as part of broader efforts to restore state authority. He also confirmed enhanced security at Beirut’s international airport, while reiterating calls on Israel to halt its attacks and withdraw from disputed border areas.