No military or armed solution to Libya's issues: India at UNSC

NEW YORK: India on Monday at the UNSC meeting on Libya said there is no military or armed solution to Libya's issues and this point needs to be emphasized by the international community, including by this Council.

During a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) meeting on Libya, Permanent Representative to the UN, Ruchira Kamboj said, "There is no military or armed solution to the issues facing Libya. This point needs to be emphasized by the international community, including by this Council."

The situation in Libya, Kamboj said is concerning. "The security council has in the past expressed its condemnation of the violent clashes in Tripoli. Last month, we saw more clashes between armed groups in Libya leading to civilian casualties."

The political stalemate and the subsequent mobilization of armed groups in Libya have the potential to undermine the gains made since the beginning of the ceasefire agreement in October 2020, Kamboj highlighted.

The immediate priority, Kamboj noted is to resolve all outstanding issues in arriving at a constitution for holding presidential and parliamentary elections. "Holding of elections in a free and fair manner is an urgent imperative. Violent clashes that are recurring regularly between the armed groups bring into focus once again the dangers of the continued presence of foreign forces and mercenaries in Libya. Their presence is a violation of the Libyan ceasefire agreement of 2020 and goes against the pronouncements of the security council," she said.

Libya has been suffering violence and unrest ever since the fall of the late leader United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) regime in 2011.

The country has been suffering escalating violence and unrest ever since the fall of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011.

The country is currently divided between a government that was appointed by the House of Representatives in March, and the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity that refuses to hand over office except to an elected government. Libya failed to hold general elections in December 2021 as previously scheduled, due to disagreements over election laws among the Libyan parties.