Siala asks for Russia’s aid in evacuating foreign fighters

The announcement came in a joint press conference with his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov in Moscow following a meeting to discuss political and military developments in Libya.

The Libyan Minister announced: “We asked for Moscow’s assistance to evacuate foreign fighters from Libya. We expressed our concern over seizing oil export revenues in a bank account that Libyans cannot benefit from.”

According to recent estimates by the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, there are over 20 thousand foreign fighters in Libya, despite the ceasefire agreement signed in October that dictates that all foreign military depart the country’s grounds in three months.

He continued: “I invite the parties who believe that the solution to the Libyan crisis has to be military to reconsider their stances, support the implementation of the peaceful solution and help to end the presence of foreign fighters.”

He also stressed that his country’s government is responsible for the security and stability of the capital, expressing: “We hope that no party will attempt to inflame the war again in Libya.”

The presence of foreign forces in Libya such as the Russian Wagner mercenaries and Sudanese Janjaweed mercenaries has been widely condemned locally and internationally for interfering in Libyan affairs and violating the ceasefire agreement.

Russia participated in a meeting of the UN Security Council in mid-December, during which all member called unanimously for withdrawing foreign fighters from Libya.