Mercenaries, Private Contractors Must Leave For Libya To Achieve Peace - United Nations

Mercenaries, Private Contractors Must Leave for Libya to Achieve Peace - United Nations

Mercenaries and related private security contractors must leave Libya in order to pave the way for achieving peace in the country and hold elections, the United Nations Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries said on Friday

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 30th July, 2021) Mercenaries and related private security contractors must leave Libya in order to pave the way for achieving peace in the country and hold elections, the United Nations Working Group on the Use of Mercenaries said on Friday.

"Nine months after the ceasefire agreement calling for withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries from Libya, mercenaries and private military and security contractors continue to operate in the country," Working Group Chair Jelena Aparac said. "Their continued recruitment and presence in Libya impedes progress in the peace process and constitutes an obstacle for the upcoming elections.

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While elections have been scheduled to be held in December, the Working Group said the presence of mercenaries and private security actors endangers the safe and secure election environment.

The Working Group warned that "well-trained and well-armed" private contractors operating in Libya from countries such as Russia, Syria, Sudan, and Chad could also end up negatively impacting the security and stability of the region more broadly.

The statement from the UN Working Group comes nine months after an initial ceasefire was negotiated in Libya, which called on foreign forces and mercenaries to exit the country.