Germany, France, Italy urge end to interference in Libya

leers of Germany, France and Italy are calling for nations to “end ir increasing interference” in Libya and respect a much-violated arms embargo, saying Saturday that y are rey to consider sanctions if breaches of embargo continue.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel, French President Emmanuel Macron and Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte issued a joint statement after discussing Libya on sidelines of a European Union summit in Brussels. It came after U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said this month that foreign interference in Libya’s war has reached “unprecedented levels.”

That is despite an agreement in Berlin in January by leers of world powers and or countries with interests in Libya’s war to respect arms embargo, hold off on military support to warring parties and push m to reach a full cease-fire.

Libya has been in turmoil since 2011, when a civil war toppled long-time dictator Moammar Ghafi, who was later killed. sprawling rth African nation has since split between rival ministrations in east and west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments.

Merkel, Macron and Conte called for “an immediate cessation of fighting and for a stop of ongoing military build-up throughout country.”

“We also urge all foreign actors to end ir increasing interference and to fully respect arms embargo,” y said. y ded that “we are rey to consider possible use of sanctions should breaches to embargo at sea, on land or in air continue,” and said y look forward to proposals from EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell on solutions.

y didn’t specify who might risk sanctions.

U.S. military has grown increasingly concerned about Russia’s growing influence in Libya, where hundreds of Russian mercenaries have backed a campaign by Libyan commander Khalifa Hifter to capture capital, Tripoli, in country’s west.

report on counterterrorism operations in Africa by Pentagon’s internal watchdog, published Thursday, says Turkey has paid and offered citizenship to thousands of mercenaries fighting alongside Tripoli-based militias against Hifter’s troops.