Foreign Committee of Libyan House express concern over militia build-up around Sirte

Cairo – 21 July 2020: The Foreign Committee of the Libyan House of Representatives expressed its deep concern over  reports that the government of National Accord continues to build-up militia around Sirte, and incites to attack the city.

the Committee added in a press statement, Tuesday, that its deeply concern that the 100,000-population city might be at risk of facing a major humanitarian crisis due to the attack.

The committee stressed that adherence to the political solution and the initiative of Libyan Parliament Speaker as the only solution to the current crisis. The committee also rejected any military solution, stressing the need to reach a mechanism for distributing oil revenues fairly and transparently, which will lead to the return of oil exports.

The Libyan Parliamentary Committee warned of the consequences of being drawn into the fighting in Sirte and Al-Jafra, explaining that this would drag the country into a long and bloody war, which would destabilize security and stability in the entire region.

Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry discussed with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov the latest updates regarding the MENA region and especially in Libya.

According to Sky News Arabia, both officials stressed on the necessity of resolving the Libyan crisis through negotiations with the participation of all Libyan parties, in line with the outputs of the Berlin Conference and the relevant international resolutions.

In a closed session Monday, The Egyptian House of Representatives has authorized President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi to “take necessary measures” to protect national security, giving a green light for the president to send troops to Libya.

The session was attended only by the Parliament members and the general secretariat of the House.

The decision came few days after President Sisi met with sheikhs, notables, and mayors of the Libyan tribes, and His Excellency Speaker of the House of Representatives Aquila Saleh made a speech at the Egyptian Parliament.

“The decision of the Egyptian Parliament came in support of our brothers in Libya in order to move forward to protect the security of Libya, Egypt and the region against the Turkish colonial ambitions that aim to plunder the region’s wealth and to sow chaos, ruin and instability,” read the parliament’s statement.

It further added that Egypt’s intervention will “contribute to achieving security and stability, and thwarting the militia and chaos supported by Turkey and others.”

“Egypt has been and will always be the beating heart of the Arab world,” added the statement.