Libya PM rules out int’l military intervention

AFP, PARIS: The prime minister of Libya’s UN-backed unity government has ruled out an international military intervention to fight the Islamic State group, which has had a growing presence in the country since 2014.
Some 25 nations including the United States and Russia agreed last month to help Libya arm itself against the jihadists, but Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj told French newspaper Journal du Dimanche he would not allow foreign troops on the ground.
“It’s true that we need help from the international community in our fight against terrorism and it’s true that this is something we have already received,” he said in the interview, published Sunday.
“But we are not talking about international intervention,” Sarraj said, adding that the presence of foreign ground troops would be “contrary to our principles”.
“Rather we need satellite images, intelligence, technical help... not bombardments,” he said.

 

Libya PM rules out intl military intervention

AFP, PARIS: The prime minister of Libyas UN-backed unity government has ruled out an international military intervention to fight the Islamic State group, which has had a growing presence in the country since 2014. Some 25 nations including the United States and Russia agreed last month to help Libya arm itself against the jihadists, but Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj told French newspaper Journal du Dimanche he would not allow foreign troops on the ground. Its true that we need help from the international community in our fight against terrorism and its true that this is something we have already received, he said in the interview, published Sunday. But we are not talking about international intervention, Sarraj said, adding that the presence of foreign ground troops would be contrary to our principles. Rather we need satellite images, intelligence, technical help... not bombardments, he said.