Libya's unity government gets Western support against arms embargo

Libya’s unity government has gained the support of world powers including the United States on Monday for the lifting of United Nations embargo on arms sales to the country.

#BREAKING: US ready to loosen Libya arms embargo: US official

— AFP news agency (@AFP) May 13, 2016

Western and regional ministers met for talks on providing support for Libya’s new unity government on Monday in Vienna where they expressed readiness to meet the demands of the new government to arm its forces to fight against terrorism threat.

In a final communique put together by the international community present, they agreed to “fully support the efforts of the Libyan new executive and will request the lifting of the embargo to meet the demands of the Libyan government to train and equip the presidential guard and the authorised forces.”

Twenty-five regional delegations signed the communique including the United States, Russia, Saudi Arabia, China, Egypt, Tunisia, France, the UK, Germany and Italy.

The UN embargo on arms sales to Libya was imposed at the beginning of the revolt against the regime of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 but has been repeatedly violated.

The government of national unity based in the capital Tripoli is headed by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, who was present at the talks.

Al-Sarraj’s government is supported by the international community and was put together by the UN to replace the two rival administrations that have been battling each other for more than a year.

The national unity government faces a rival parallel government based in the east of the country led by the controversial General Khalifa Haftar.

The terrorist group Islamic State (IS) took advantage of the chaos that was dividing Libya since the revolt that ended the regime of Muammar Gaddafi, to locate in the oil-producing country.