Egyptian NGO to release report slamming Turkish ‘crimes’ in Libya

CAIRO – 2 January 2020: Egypt’s Forum for Development and Human Rights Dialog is set to release later on Thursday a report dubbed “The Mercenary War” highlighting Turkish “crimes against humanity” in Libya, according to a statement published by local media.

The report aims to urge the International Criminal Court to take an action against the Turkish regime for such offenses, the statement added.

The report monitors a number of alleged crimes committed by Turkey regarding Libya, according to Libyan media and official sources, and highlights how these crimes contributed to brutal killings, forced disappearance, extrajudicial killings.

It will criticize the reported dispatch of Turkey-backed mercenaries to Libya, with the majority of them belonging to the Muslim Brotherhood group in the war-torn country.

Saeed Abdel Hafez, head of the Forum said the report monitored the arms exports carried out by the Turkish regime to the so-called Government of National Accord, violates an international issued by the Security Council in 2011 banning the sale or supply of weapons to Libya, as well as Resolution no. 2420, which allows member states to inspect ships heading to or coming from Libya with a view to countering the entry of weapons to Libya.

The report also monitored the increasing transport of mercenaries via aircraft that have increased in recent days through airlines owned by Abdel Hakim Belhaj, chairman of Libya's al-Watan, a conservative Islamist political party.

Egypt’s stance

Egypt has affirmed its stance regarding the Libyan crisis during the extraordinary meeting of the Arab League (AL) Council on December 31.

According to presidency spokesperson Ahmed Hafez Egypt's Permanent Representative to the Arab League Alaa Rushdy pointed out in his speech to the danger of recent Turkish moves on the security and future of Libya.

He also warned of sending Turkish forces to Libya, which threatens the whole MENA region.

Furthermore, the Egyptian mission stressed the importance of reaching a political solution that paves the way for the return of security and stability in Libya.

The council highlighted its rejection of any foreign interference in Libya's domestic affairs through deploying militias in the war-torn country or violating international resolutions to impose an arms embargo there.