Cairo: The Arab League called on Tuesday for an “urgent” Arab strategy to militarily back Libya’s government against Daesh, but stopped short of endorsing air strikes against the militants.
The Cairo-based Arab bloc issued its call after an extraordinary meeting to discuss a request by the internationally recognised Libyan government to adopt measures to confront Daesh, which has seized the coastal city of Sirte.
“The Arab League affirms that given the difficult situation, there is an urgent need to quickly put an Arab strategy in place that includes assisting Libya militarily in confronting Daesh’s terrorism,” a League statement said.
The internationally recognised Libyan government based in the country’s east had on Sunday called for Arab air strikes against the militants.
“The Libyan air force is not capable of conducting air strikes against Daesh in Sirte,” Libya’s Foreign Minister Mohammad Al Dairi said in opening remarks to permanent delegates to the bloc on Tuesday.
“Libyan national security is Arab national security ... Libya is suffering and we are fed up with the atrocities of the terrorist groups.”
The North African nation has been under a UN arms embargo since 2011. In March, the Security Council renewed the ban but under a resolution, allowed a sanctions committee to review any government’s requests for exemptions from the embargo and arms exports.
The UN is concerned that if it allowed weapons into Libya, they could fall into the hands of multiple armed groups.
Al Dairi’s eastern-based government has in the past appealed for a lifting of the embargo. It also asked for Arab countries to carry out air strikes against the militant group in Libya.
Libya, which plunged into chaos after the overthrow and killing of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, has two rival governments and parliaments, as well as several militia groups battling to control its oil wealth.
Daesh, which already controls large swathes of territory in Iraq and Syria, has exploited this chaos. In February, Daesh claimed the beheading of 21 Coptic Christians in Libya, mostly Egyptians, prompting air strikes by Cairo inside its western neighbour.
Since then, Egyptian President Abdul Fattah Al Sissi has pushed for a joint Arab military force to fight militants in the region.
Arab army chiefs have so far met twice in Cairo to work out the details of building the force after it was approved by Arab leaders at a summit in March.
A third meeting is due on August 27 in the Egyptian capital.