United Nations: The political and security vacuum in Libya is being exploited by the ISIS terror group which has "significantly expanded" the territory it controls in the conflict-torn north African nation, UN experts said in a report circulated on Thursday.
The experts monitoring UN sanctions against Libya said the terror group has successfully recruited marginalised communities in the central city of Sirte, which it controls. It has also increased its operational capacity in the city of Sabratha and the capital Tripoli through local recruitment reinforced by foreign fighters, the experts said.
"While ISIL does not currently generate direct revenue from the exploitation of oil in Libya, its attacks against oil installations seriously compromise the country's economic stability," the six-member panel said in the report. "Libyans have increasingly fallen victim to the terrorist group's brutalities, culminating in several mass killings."
Libya has effectively been a failed state since the 2011 ouster and death of long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi, which led to the country's military collapse and fragmentation by powerful militias.
Since 2014, an internationally recognized government has convened in the far east of the vast, oil-rich country while a rival Islamist government is based in Tripoli. The United Nations has been trying to help forge a unity government to revive services to millions of people and confront ISIS terrorists.
According to the experts, Libya has become increasingly attractive to foreign fighters and their presence in the south "is symptomatic of the regional dimension of the conflict." It added that countries in the region have been providing political support - and possibly more - to various groups, further fueling the continuation of fighting.
The experts said in the report to the UN Security Council that all parties in the conflict are continuing to receive illicit arms transfers, some with support from UN member countries.
These weapons are not only influencing the instability but are having "a negative impact on the security situation in Libya and its political transition," the report said.
The experts called for the arms embargo - which allows the government to seek exemptions - to remain in place and be enforced.
As for the financing of Libyan armed groups, the report said, "government salaries are continuing to be paid to enlisted combatants, regardless of their human rights record or their ties with spoilers or terrorist groups."
The experts said armed groups and criminal networks in Libya have further diversified their sources of financing, including through kidnapping and smuggling migrants, oil products, subsidised goods and profits from foreign currency exchange schemes.
As for other sanctions, the report said asset freezes and travel bans on individuals from the Gadhafi regime continue to be broken, with large amounts of assets remaining hidden and unfrozen and travel bans repeatedly violated.
The experts monitoring UN sanctions against Libya said the terror group has successfully recruited marginalised communities in the central city of Sirte, which it controls. It has also increased its operational capacity in the city of Sabratha and the capital Tripoli through local recruitment reinforced by foreign fighters, the experts said.
"While ISIL does not currently generate direct revenue from the exploitation of oil in Libya, its attacks against oil installations seriously compromise the country's economic stability," the six-member panel said in the report. "Libyans have increasingly fallen victim to the terrorist group's brutalities, culminating in several mass killings."
Since 2014, an internationally recognized government has convened in the far east of the vast, oil-rich country while a rival Islamist government is based in Tripoli. The United Nations has been trying to help forge a unity government to revive services to millions of people and confront ISIS terrorists.
Advertisement
The experts said in the report to the UN Security Council that all parties in the conflict are continuing to receive illicit arms transfers, some with support from UN member countries.
Advertisement
The experts called for the arms embargo - which allows the government to seek exemptions - to remain in place and be enforced.
Advertisement
The experts said armed groups and criminal networks in Libya have further diversified their sources of financing, including through kidnapping and smuggling migrants, oil products, subsidised goods and profits from foreign currency exchange schemes.
Advertisement
COMMENTS
Advertisement
Hundreds Of ISIS Corpses In Freezers, No Country Wants To Receive Them As ISIS Closed In, Officials Raced To Remove Chemical-Weapon Materials Libyan Forces Push Into Last ISIS-Held Areas Of Sirte Tear Gas Fired After Kolkata Protest Against Doctor's Rape-Murder Turns Violent 150 mg Semen In Kolkata Doctor's Body, Suspect Gang-Rape: Parents To Court 2 French Rafale Jets Collide Mid-Air, Instructor, Pilot Missing "Freedom Fighters Would Not Have Dreamt...": AAP's Atishi On Arvind Kejriwal 5 Big Highlights Of PM Modi's Independence Day Speech In Touch With India Over Bangladesh Political Crisis: US State Department Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world.