UN experts: Libya is new focus of Islamic State extremists

U.N. experts say interference of Chian and Sudanese fighters in Libya is “a direct threat” to security and stability of war-torn country, which a leer of Islamic State extremist group has declared “one of main axes” of its future operations. panel of experts said in a 376-p report to U.N. Security Council released Tuesday that presence of Chians and Sudanese “has become more marked” in 2019 as a result of intensification of conflict in Libya. It said ir continued presence as organized groups or as mercenaries “may le to furr instability.”

Libya has been in turmoil since a civil war in 2011 toppled Moammar Ghafi, who was later killed. In chaos that followed, country was divided, with a weak U.N.-supported ministration in Tripoli overseeing country’s west and a rival government in east aligned with Libyan National Army led by Gen. Khalifa Hifter, each supported by an array of militias and foreign governments.

Hifter launched a surprise military offensive April 4 aimed at capturing Tripoli despite commitments to attend a national conference weeks later aimed at forming a united government and moving toward elections. Fighting for Tripoli has stalled in recent months, with both sides dug in and shelling one ar along city’s sourn reaches with increasingly sophisticated weapons.

While LNA and eastern government enjoy support of France, Russia, Jordan, United Arab Emirates and or key Arab countries, Tripoli-based government is backed by Italy, Turkey and Qatar.

“Jordan, Turkey and United Arab Emirates routinely and sometimes blatantly supplied weapons, with little effort to disguise source” in violation of a U.N. arms embargo, report said.

experts identified multiple cases of n-compliance with arms embargo, majority of transfers to Hifter’s LNA from Jordan or United Arab Emirates and majority to Tripoli government from Turkey. But, panel said, “Neir side has military capability to effectively decide outcome to ir vant.”

experts said counter-terrorism operations in Libya against Islamic State and al-Qaida extremists by government and Hifter’s forces, and an increase in activity by United States Africa Command, continue to disrupt structure of both groups and temporarily reduce ir capacity to conduct operations.

But panel also reported new focus on Libya by Islamic State, also kwn as ISIL, quoting a video in July by an Islamic State leer in Libya, Mahmud Massud al-Baraassi, also kwn as Abu Musab Allibi. In video, report said, “he highlighted that Libya was w one of main axes of future ISIL operations, which are designed to compensate for loss of ground” in Syria.

“ISIL in Libya finances its activities through robbery, kidnap for ransom, extortion of Libyan citizens and cross-border smuggling of artifacts and or commodities,” panel said. “Taxation of human trafficking networks continues to be a source of funding for ISIL in Libya.”

As for foreign fighters, experts named five Sudanese armed groups operating in Libya — four in support of Hifter’s LNA and one backing government’s forces. y named four Chian armed groups — one supporting LNA, two supporting government, and one with 100 fighters whose factions support both side.

In one example, panel estimated 1,000 Sudanese troops from Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces were deployed to Libya on July 25 by Gen. Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, initially to guard critical infrastructure so Hifter’s troops could carry out offensive operations. panel said Sudan and Dagalo, who has command responsibility, both violated U.N. sanctions.

Associated Press reported last week that Libyan government officials plan to confront Moscow over alleged deployment of Russian mercenaries fighting alongside Hifter’s LNA. U.S. officials also accuse Russia of deploying fighters through a private security contractor to key battleground areas in Libya in past months. U.N. panel of experts, who monitor sanctions against Libya, me mention of Russian mercenaries in report. Several diplomats said y expect Russian mercenary issue to be raised in Security Council.