EU Denies Plans To Deploy Troops To Libya - External Affairs Service

The European Union is not planning on sending a contingent to Libya to prop up the ceasefire in the country, Nabila Massrali, a spokeswoman for the European External Action Service (EEAS), said on Monday

BRUSSELS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 19th July, 2021) The European Union is not planning on sending a contingent to Libya to prop up the ceasefire in the country, Nabila Massrali, a spokeswoman for the European External Action Service (EEAS), said on Monday.

Earlier in the day, the EUobserver news outlet reported on an internal EEAS paper which allegedly includes the deployment of EU soldiers to the North African country. The portal added that Brussels was wary of losing the initiative in Libya, which could be seized by other countries.

"There is no discussion at the moment about an EU military mission in Libya. The EU is committed to continue supporting Libya's return to peace and stability, including through its civilian mission EUBAM Libya and its military operation in the Mediterranean EUNAVFOR MED IRINI," Massrali said at a press conference.

On October 23, 2020, Libya's warring parties the Government of National Accord and the Libyan National Army signed a nationwide ceasefire agreement during the United Nations-facilitated joint military commission talks in Geneva. In early February, the Swiss-hosted round of intra-Libyan talks led to the election of an interim Government of National Unity that will be in charge until the December 24 election.

The EU launched the IRINI mission in March 2020 to better combat arms-smuggling by inspecting ships near the coast of Libya, as well as using aerial and satellite assets to monitor smuggling via aerial and land routes.