Egypt says political accord not enough to tackle terrorism in Libya
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry says a potential political agreement in Libya would not counter the threat posed by the ISIL Takfiri terrorists who have a base of support in eastern Libya.
Shoukry made the remarks during a press conference in the Egyptian capital, Cairo, on Tuesday.
“The approach by several countries, which imagine an accord between politicians will deal with the effects of terrorism, is astonishing,” the Egyptian foreign minister said.
The internationally recognized parliament of Libya, which is based in the eastern town of Tobruk, said Monday it would end its participation in negotiations brokered by the United Nations between rival factions in the country.
The move by the Libyan parliament came after President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi of Egypt said in a televised speech the need for “a unified Arab force” against ISIL was “growing and becoming more pressing every day.” Western powers do not appear to have embraced the request.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry also criticized the US-led so-called anti-ISIL coalition, which has been carrying out airstrikes against what is said to be ISIL targets in Iraq and Syria over the past few months, noting that the coalition has failed to acknowledge the militant threat in Libya.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry spokesman, Badr Abdelatty, said, “There should be no double standards. You are intervening in a serious way against an organization in one place and completely ignoring them in another.”
Last month, Abdullah al-Thinni, the internationally recognized prime minister of Libya, warned that Libya may turn into a safe haven for ISIL, thus posing a significant challenge to the security and stability of the world.
Egypt’s involvement in the recent developments in Libya was mainly initiated when ISIL released a video on February 15 that appeared to show the beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic Christians on a beach in Libya.
The day after, Egypt’s military carried out a series of airstrikes against militant targets in the town of Derna, eastern Libya, in retaliation for the slaughter of the Copts. Derna is located roughly 300 kilometers (about 190 miles) from the border with Egypt and is regarded as a base for ISIL in eastern Libya.
SZH/HSN/SS
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