Libya

28 June 2020; MEMO: Libya’s permanent representative to the UN, Taher El-Sonni, on Saturday called for imposing sanctions on Russian and Sudanese mercenaries in the country.

On Friday, mercenaries from Wagner Group and the Sudanese Janjaweed militia forced their way into El-Sharara oilfield to halt oil experts from the field, according to Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC).

TRIPOLI, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The Foreign Ministry of Libya's UN-backed government on Saturday said that there are "mercenaries" allied with the rival eastern-based army shutting down oil exports inside oilfields and ports.

"The Foreign Ministry followed up reports and information confirming presence of foreign mercenaries of the Russian Wagner, Janjaweed, and other mercenaries inside Libyan oilfields and ports, and lately Sharara oilfield," the ministry said in a statement.

26 June 2020; MEMO: The Ministry of Defence of the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) said it will continue in its moves to recapture the eastern city of Sirte from the forces of renegade General Khalifa Haftar despite the warning of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi that the city represents a “red line” for his country.

25 June 2020; MEMO: Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio yesterday visited Tripoli to meet with representatives of Libya’s internationally-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).

Di Maio held talks with the GNA’s Prime Minister Fayez Al-Sarraj and met Foreign Minister Taha Siala and Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha.

He did not, however, meet with any officials from the GNA’s rival Libyan National Army (LNA) headed by renegade General Khalifa Haftar.

TRIPOLI, June 23 (Xinhua) -- The UN-backed government of Libya reduced its representation at the Arab League (AL) meeting on Tuesday, criticizing AL's "double standards in effect."

"Libya reduces the level of its representation in the AL meeting and criticizes the double standards in force. Until this moment, the session that Libya had been demanding since April of last year has not been held, despite obtaining quorum," the Foreign Ministry of the UN-backed government said.

23 June 2020; MEMO: Libyans will not accept threats being made against Egypt, the country’s interior minister said on Sunday, but they will also not allow threats to be made against their safety, he added.

23 June 2020; MEMO: Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) revealed two documents on Monday which allegedly prove Khalifa Haftar’s involvement in financial corruption. An official GNA media centre posted a copy of the documents on Twitter.

The documents show that one of the economic arms of Haftar’s militia, “the Military Investment Authority, took over public land plots and properties [and confiscated] fixed and movable assets of agricultural projects and other investment sites illegally.”

22 June 2020; MEMO: Libya’s United Nations (UN) recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) will boycott Arab League talks on the conflict next week, i24 reports.

Libya’s Foreign Minister Mohamed Taher Siala has told the bloc’s executive council that this planned meeting would “deepen the rift” between Arab governments on the issue.

21 June 2020; MEMO: The Libyan parliament called on the government to be at full readiness against “aggression” from Egypt, denouncing recent comments by Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah Al-Sisi that his army could intervene in the war-torn country, Anadolu Agency reports.

In a recent statement, Libyan lawmakers asked authorities to take seriously recent threats by al-Sisi and to review all possible courses of action to respond in the “suitable time and place.”

TRIPOLI, June 21 (Xinhua) -- The International Organization for Migration (IOM) said Saturday that a boat carrying illegal immigrants broke off the Libyan coast.

"Shipwreck off the coast of Tripoli, Libya this morning. IOM staff are following up and are informed that survivors were taken to an unofficial detention center," the IOM tweeted.

"There is still no information about the number of lives lost in this tragedy," it added.