05 Dec 2020; MEMO: The media centre for Operation Volcano of Rage has issued a statement by the Defence Minister of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) Salah El-Din Al-Namroush in which he announced the signing of a military cooperation agreement with Italy.
Al-Namroush was quoted stating: "We agreed with the Italian side to cooperate in the fields of training, military education, exchange of expertise, support, development, maintenance, consultation and cooperation in the field of illegal immigration, land and sea border security, ammunition and mine clearance, and relief operations in cases of natural disasters."
The agreement also included: "Participation in military manoeuvres and joint exercises, in addition to restructuring military and security institutions and equipping military and security units."
The GNA's minister of defence signed a military cooperation agreement with Italy within the framework of what he called the endeavours to:
''Develop and build capabilities and enhance bilateral cooperation with brotherly and friendly countries, which were initiated with the Turkish and Qatari allies, and now with the Italian side, and we will extend this cooperative scope with all countries that stood with the Libyan people.''
It noteworthy that Italy has a medical and military mission stationed at an air base south of the city of Misrata.
The Acting Special Representative of the Secretary-General for Libya Stephanie Williams recently announced the presence of about 20,000 mercenaries and foreign troops in Libya who run ten military bases, describing the matter as "a horrific violation of Libyan sovereignty."
