The United States of America and other world powers have stated that they are ready to arm the UN-backed unity government in Libya to help it combat the extremist group known as Islamic State (IS).
John Kerry, the US Secretary of State has made it clear that world powers would support Libya in seeking exemption from a United Nations arms embargo. John Kerry has been documented as stating that: “the GNA [Government of National Accord] is the only entity that can unify the country. It is the only way to ensure that vital institutions… fall under representative and acknowledged authority.” He went on to say that the unity government is, “the only way to generate the cohesion necessary to defeat Daesh [IS].”
The Libyan government is said to have warned that IS could possibly control the majority of the country if it was not prevented soon. Furthermore, Human Rights Watch (HRW) issued a document earlier this week that has recorded the human rights violations the extremist group has been committing in the port city of Sirte since February 2015. The abuses in question consist of at least 49 unlawful executions, seizing the homes which belong to residents who have fled the city, and the diversion of supplies such as food, medication, fuel, and money.
The 41-page report is titled: “‘We Feel We Are Cursed’: Life under ISIS in Sirte, Libya,” and in its creation HRW interviewed 45 former and current residents of Sirte in March of this year. This includes the relatives of people killed or detained by Islamic State, as well as exiled local officials and members of rival armed groups.
For further reading on the possibility of Libya’s unity government becoming armed, click below:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-36300525
Click the following link to learn more about the abuses IS has been committing in Sirte:
https://www.hrw.org/news/2016/05/18/libya-isis-executed-dozens-newest-stronghold
And click below to read the Human Rights Watch report: “‘We Feel We Are Cursed’: Life under ISIS in Sirte, Libya,”:
https://www.hrw.org/node/289875/
Image source: www.npr.org
Text sources: www.bbc.co.uk (16th May 2016), www.hrw.org (18th May 2016)