UK, US denounce Russia's role in Libya's war

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/05/uk-denounce-russia-role-libya-war-200519185316584.html

Russian Ambassador Vassily Nebenzia dismisses claims as 'speculation' based on unverified or 'clearly fabricated data'.

The United Kingdom and the United States on Tuesday urged Russia to stop sending mercenaries to the conflict in Libya, after a recent United Nations report confirmed the presence of Russian and Syrian fighters in the country.

Russia dismissed the demands at a Security Council videoconference, however, denying again that Moscow has any role in the presence of Russian fighters in Libya, and calling the UN report unreliable.

"We remain particularly concerned by further reports that external parties continue to provide material, equipment, [and] mercenaries," said Jonathan Allen, the UK's deputy permanent representative to the United Nations.

He pointed in particular to a private Russian security group, the Wagner Group, which is seen as being close to Russian President Vladimir Putin.

"Wagner Group activities continue to exacerbate the conflict and prolong the suffering of the Libyan people," Allen said.

He also invoked the UN arms embargo on Libya that has been in place since 2011, adding: "I want to urge all Security Council members to abide by the resolutions of this council, which they themselves have voted for."

United States ambassador to the UN Kelly Craft said "all actors involved in the conflict in Libya must immediately suspend military operations".

"They must halt the ongoing transfer of foreign military equipment and personnel to Libya, including as the United Kingdom mentioned, Wagner Group mercenaries," she continued.

'Simply unfounded'
Allen and Craft's Russian counterpart Vassily Nebenzia dismissed the claims as "speculation".

"For the most part, the report is based on unverified or clearly fabricated data and is aimed at discrediting Russia's policy in Libya," Nebenzia said.

"Many of the data - especially regarding Russian citizens mentioned in the report - is simply unfounded. There are no Russian servicemen in Libya."

The confidential UN report comes from UN experts monitoring the arms embargo. It confirmed mercenaries from the Wagner Group are in Libya, and revealed the presence of Syrian fighters from Damascus supporting renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar.

Haftar, who controls swaths of eastern Libya, launched an offensive in April last year against the capital Tripoli, seat of the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).

The document also confirms that Syrian rebels are fighting in Libya in support of the GNA, backed by Turkey since late 2019.

The acting UN envoy to Libya, Stephanie Williams, previously told the Security Council that the UN continues to "witness an alarming military build-up as a result of the uninterrupted dispatch by the foreign backers of increasingly sophisticated and lethal weapons, not to mention the recruitment of more mercenaries to both sides of the conflict".

'Firm and clear'
A main Haftar backer, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) said on Tuesday that it believes the only acceptable path forward in the Libyan crisis involves "an immediate, comprehensive ceasefire and a return to the political process", according to a statement from Anwar Gargash, the UAE's minister of state for foreign affairs.

"The UAE's position on the Libyan crisis has been firm and clear & shared by the majority of the international community," Gargash said on Twitter.

The UAE, along with Egypt, has supported Haftar. Turkey has accused the UAE of "bringing chaos" to the region through its interventions in Libya and Yemen.

Libya, a major oil-producing state, descended into chaos after the NATO-backed overthrow of leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Since 2014, Libya has been split, with the internationally recognised government controlling the capital Tripoli and the northwest, while Haftar in Benghazi rules the east.

Haftar launched an offensive a year ago to grab Tripoli. He is supported by the UAE, Egypt and Russia, while the government is backed by Turkey. Libya has been under a UN arms embargo since 2011.

"The only conclusion that we can draw is that this war will intensify, broaden and deepen," Williams said.

"We must not let Libya slip away. This council can ensure the collective security it is mandated to maintain by applying consistent and credible pressure on those regional and international actors that are fuelling the conflict."

Russian private military contractor Wagner Group has up to 1,200 people deployed in Libya to strengthen Haftar's forces, according to a UN report.

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

The US would support Turkey in Libya up to a point. With Sirte as the dividing line. Turkey cannot cross the Sirte line, confined to western Libya. A more powerful Turkey would cause problem for Russia in the Mediterranean, but they don't want Turkey to get too powerful to threaten EU's interests in the Mediterranean. That's why the US will never allow Turkey to take Sirte. If Turkey does not listen to Uncle Sam then Uncle Sam sanction Turkey far harder than Uncle Sam sanctioned Iran.

 

[Sineva]

Back in 2011 the eurotrash-us alliance ie nato,destroyed the libyan state and trashed the libyan nation from one end of it to the next,but yet they now have the nerve to object to what russia is doing there!?.Maybe they should also be urging their fellow nato member turkey to stop using former turkish backed syrian terrorists.....sorry.."moderate rebels"....as mercenary fighters in libya as well,otherwise it just looks like they`re picking on the russians.
There really is nothing quite as rotten as bloodthirsty western hypocrisy when it comes to the mena region.

 

[PakAlp]

Back in 2011 the eurotrash-us alliance ie nato,destroyed the libyan state and trashed the libyan nation from one end of it to the next,but yet they now have the nerve to object to what russia is doing there!?.Maybe they should also be urging their fellow nato member turkey to stop using former turkish backed syrian terrorists.....sorry.."moderate rebels"....as mercenary fighters in libya as well,otherwise it just looks like they`re picking on the russians.
There really is nothing quite as rotten as bloodthirsty western hypocrisy when it comes to the mena region.

Agree. Those who bombed and destroyed Libya are now playing the sweet guy. War criminals

 

[ARMalik]

Only a few years ago, Libya was a beautiful and Rich country. Every citizens of Libya use to get fantastic free healthcare, education and Living Expenses. Their standard of living was the envy of a lot of developed countries. I knew Libyans who were studying at good Aussies Universities and their fee was being paid by Libyan Government. I had a Libyan friend who had moved to Sydney, and the Libyan government was paying still paying for his living expenses. He never use to work. Of course there was a lot of incorrect fake news propaganda of the West against the then Libyan leader who was sadly killed.

And look at it now -- destroyed mercilessly by the moronic blood thirsty lunatics of the US and EU. The Libyan people are suffering immensely now. The same people who once lived in Heaven, are now living in a Hell.

 

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

The West will support whoever appears to be "winning". When Al-Assad was losing, they were all supporting the Syrian opposition. Now when it has become clear that Al-Assad is here to stay (at least for the foreseeable future) they are talking about normalization with Syria.

When Gaddafi was relatively "strong" and when their interests aligned, Gaddafi was a great friend. We all remember the photos with Sarkozy and Berlusconi. The second that Gaddafi was no longer useful, Libya was attacked.

I would not take such claims seriously. Italy for instance supports the "GNA" because its leaders were in exile in Italy and literally came in power in Libya onboard an Italian frigate. Oil/business interests as well otherwise they don't care about GNA or LNA. In fact most European states (rather all) are secular and should be preferring the more secular LNA rather than the Muslim Brotherhood dominated GNA. But as well all know, the Muslim Brotherhood is mostly a Western proxy in the Arab world hence American/US support for the Muslim Brotherhood during the "Arab Spring". Notice that all leading MB members, when not based in Turkey (the Egyptian branch) are based in the West, lol.

The main blame lies with Libyans. They are killing themselves instead of uniting and removing all harmful foreign interferences. Instead those representing them prefer to rule while selling out their country. This can only work for so long eventually hard experience will teach them.