All foreign forces and mercenaries must leave war-torn Libya in support of the country's fragile peace process, a top US official said on Thursday – the first such statement under the Biden administration.
Addressing UN Security Council talks, US envoy Richard Mills said Russia and Turkey were breaching a ceasefire deal agreed to in October last year that ordered all foreign troops and mercenaries out of Libya by January 23.
"The external actors who have militarily intervened in this conflict have wholly, completely ignored Libyan demands," Mr Mills said.
“Per the October ceasefire agreement, we call on Turkey and Russia to immediately initiate the withdrawal of their forces from the country and the removal of the foreign mercenaries and military proxies that they have recruited, financed, deployed and supported in Libya.”
Libya descended into chaos after the 2011 Nato-backed overthrow of leader Muammar Qaddafi. The ceasefire agreement and elections planned for December raised hopes of peace between the country's rival administrations in the east and the west.
In Tripoli in the west, the Government of National Accord is backed by Turkey. In the east, Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar's Libyan Arab Armed Forces is supported by the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary outfit, Egypt and others.
Under the previous administration of Donald Trump, the US largely stood back from the Libya conflict and while nominally backing the government in Tripoli, also engaged with eastern forces and commanders.
At the same meeting, Stephanie Williams, a UN envoy to Libya, said that weapons and soldiers continued to flow into Libya in breach of a UN arms embargo and after the exit deadline for mercenaries and foreign fighters.
“I am concerned by continued fortifications and defensive positions created by the LAAF inside Gardabiya Airbase in Sirte and along the Sirte-Jufra axis in central Libya,” said Ms Williams, referring to the front lines between Libya’s rival forces.
“Air cargo activities continued with flights reaching Libya’s western region and GNA military bases and airbases. In the southern region, there was an increase in assets and activities in the airbases seemingly aimed at strengthening LAAF presence and control.”
This week, Libyans working on a UN peace process agreed on how to choose a new temporary government to oversee the run-up to presidential and parliamentary elections on December 24. The fraught process is at risk of falling apart because of factional rivalries.
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
The Lost Letters of William Woolf
Helen Cullen, Graydon House
What is an FTO Designation?
FTO designations impose immigration restrictions on members of the organisation simply by virtue of their membership and triggers a criminal prohibition on knowingly providing material support or resources to the designated organisation as well as asset freezes.
It is a crime for a person in the United States or subject to the jurisdiction of the United States to knowingly provide “material support or resources” to or receive military-type training from or on behalf of a designated FTO.
Representatives and members of a designated FTO, if they are aliens, are inadmissible to and, in certain circumstances removable from, the United States.
Except as authorised by the Secretary of the Treasury, any US financial institution that becomes aware that it has possession of or control over funds in which an FTO or its agent has an interest must retain possession of or control over the funds and report the funds to the Treasury Department.
Source: US Department of State
ULTRA PROCESSED FOODS
- Carbonated drinks, sweet or savoury packaged snacks, confectionery, mass-produced packaged breads and buns
- margarines and spreads; cookies, biscuits, pastries, cakes, and cake mixes, breakfast cereals, cereal and energy bars;
- energy drinks, milk drinks, fruit yoghurts and fruit drinks, cocoa drinks, meat and chicken extracts and instant sauces
- infant formulas and follow-on milks, health and slimming products such as powdered or fortified meal and dish substitutes,
- many ready-to-heat products including pre-prepared pies and pasta and pizza dishes, poultry and fish nuggets and sticks, sausages, burgers, hot dogs, and other reconstituted meat products, powdered and packaged instant soups, noodles and desserts.
