Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

U.S. says to use diplomatic leverage to assist in removing mercenaries from Libya


Mon 29 Mar 2021 | 09:56 PM
Ahmad El-Assasy

Richard Norland, the U.S. Ambassador to Libya, has reaffirmed Washington's and the international community's support for Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU) Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah's appeal for foreign mercenaries to leave Libya immediately, saying the U.S. will use its diplomatic clout to assist Dbeibah.

Norland told the Al-Quds Al-Arabi newspaper that having a slew of forces in Libya close to one another's positions would be extremely risky, and that everyone would be better off if those forces left.

Norland also said that the most powerful weapon for luring foreign mercenaries out of Libya will be a newly elected government with complete legitimacy and power to reclaim the country's sovereignty, which he believes would be the outcome of the December 24 elections.

"Sanctions are still a tool at the international community's disposal against those who continue to violate UN arms embargo in Libya. Now, some foreign forces are starting to pull out of Libya after the military impasse in central Libya has helped revive the political process." Norland added.

He claimed that his country reiterates its call for all foreign forces to leave Libya, and that Washington claims that some Wagner Group forces have withdrawn to enable the House of Representatives to convene in Sirte early this month, which should be regarded as a first step toward enforcing the ceasefire agreement, but that any return of foreign forces will be a step backward.

The Stabilization in Libya Act has been sent to the US House of Representatives and Senate, but has not yet been authorized, according to Norland.