UN Security Council condemns Zletin blast, calls for unity

UN News Center

Strongly condemning yesterday’s terrorist attack on a security training centre in Zliten, Libya, and in the wake of that deadly incident and the recent attacks on the country’s oil infrastructure, the United Nations Security Council has urged all Libyan parties to joint together to combat terrorist threats by implementing the recent agreement on a unity government.

In a press statement, the Council expressed its deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and wished a swift recovery to those injured in the incident, which, according to media reports, left nearly 50 people dead and wounded many others yesterday morning when police recruits gathered at the training centre in Zliten, a coastal town between Tripoli and the port of Misrata.

Also condemning the recent attacks on Libya’s oil infrastructure by a group that has claimed allegiance to the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (or ISIL, also known as Da’esh), the Council urged all parties in Libya to join efforts to combat the threat posed by transnational terrorist groups exploiting Libya for their own agenda, by urgently implementing the Libyan Political Agreement.

The Council also urged Libyan parties to work swiftly towards the formation of the Government of National Accord “that will work for the benefit of all Libyans and the finalisation of interim security arrangements necessary for stabilizing Libya.”

Underlining the need to bring perpetrators, organizers, financiers and sponsors of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice, the Council stressed that those responsible for these killings should be held accountable, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions to cooperate actively with all relevant authorities in this regard.

Council members in their statement went on to reaffirm “grave concern” about ISIL, groups that have pledged allegiance to ISIL – which includes foreign terrorist fighters who are in Libya, and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with ISIL and Al-Qaida operating in Libya – and the negative impact of their presence, violent extremist ideology and actions on the country’s stability, as well as neighbouring countries and the region, including the devastating humanitarian impact on the civilian populations.

They reaffirmed the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the UN Charter, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.

The members of the Security Council stressed the need to take measures to prevent and suppress the financing of terrorism, terrorist organisations, and individual terrorists in accordance with resolutions 2199 (2015) and 2253 (2015).