UN Security Council To Soon Consider Expansion Of UNSMIL Mandate In Libya - Nebenzia

UNITED NATIONS (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 05th September, 2019) The UN Security Council will soon address the request of Special Representative Ghassan Salame to expand the mandate of the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Russia's Ambassador to the United Nations Vassily Nebenzia told reporters on Wednesday.

Earlier in the day, Salame called on the Security Council to consider expanding the UNSMIL's mandate to facilitate "scalable ceasefire support for whatever form of further truce or cessation of hostilities is agreed between the parties."

"[This request was] received positively," said Nebenzia, who is presiding over the UN body in September.

"We will be having a resolution on UNSMIL adopted soon, I am not very well sure whether in this short time we will be able to address that issue in full, but, of course, the message that he sent was heard and will be taken into account," he added.

The Security Council is expected to renew the mandate of the UN mission in on September 12.

Libya ceased to function as a unified state after US-supported Islamic extremists toppled and killed Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Two rival governments have split the country in half: the Libyan National Army (LNA) controls the eastern part of the country and the internationally-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) controls the western part.