LIBYA’S TOBRUK-BACKED ARMY SLAMS UK DIPLOMAT

Baghdad, 11 Jumadil Awwal 1436/2 March 2015 (MINA) – The command of the Tobruk-backed army on Saturday denounced remarks made earlier by a British diplomat before the United Nations Security Council on Libya.

British envoy to the United Nations Mark Grant said earlier that Libya needed to have a national unity government so that it could fight Daesh, the Arabic acronym for the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, a militant organization that has overrun vast territories in both Iraq and Syria.

He said this national unity government was the best way for Libya to fight the militant organization, Middle East Monitor (MEMO) quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting. Monday.

He added that the international community could only help Libya when there is a unity government in the country. The Libyan army command said, however, that Grant’s remarks were unacceptable.

“Those who follow developments in Libya, especially on military and security matters, are fully aware of the war between the Libyan army and the terrorist groups with their allied militias,” the command said.

It accused the British diplomat of “practicing deception” at the UN to alter the truth and spread wrong information.

The army command also accused the West of taking sides with what it described as the “terrorists” and their allies.

Libya has remained in a state of turmoil since a bloody uprising ended the decades-long rule of autocratic leader Muammar Gaddafi in late 2011.

Since then, the country’s sharp political divisions have yielded two rival seats of government, each of which has its own institutions and armies.

Vying for legislative authority are a parliament based in the eastern city of Tobruk and another based in capital Tripoli.

The two assemblies support two different governments, respectively headquartered in the two cities. (T/P002/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)