Libya’s Interior Minister: UN too scared to stop violations of arms embargo, naming UAE as biggest breacher

Fathi Bashagha, in an interview with The Guardian, vowed step up his government’s fight to end the assault on Tripoli by Khalifa Haftar, saying he backed a wholesale program of economic reform to reduce the country’s outsized public sector, measures to redistribute resources across the country, and the integration of militias into the regular security services.

Bashagha named the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and Jordan as repeatedly breaking the arms embargo, saying some great nations on the UN security council seem to live in fear of these small nations.

“In the last five years, we have noticed a change in the international community – a lack of international credibility and a refusal to keep their word.” He added.

“We see a nation forming a private security firm to come and fight on their behalf.” Bashagha said, pointing to Russia’s role in Libya.

He estimated the number of Russian Wagner group mercenaries at 1,400–2,000 fighters, adding that they are Russian nationals and answer to the Russian government.

“Russia has a big project, not just in Libya, but throughout Africa.” The Libyan Interior Minister told The Guardian.

Bashagha said the overall cost of Haftar’s offensive on Tripoli as much higher to the Libyan people. saying he has cost Libya $36bn in lost oil revenue, and printed a parallel currency in Russia that has only led to a fall in the value of the dinar for everyone.