(Photo by presidential office to DNE\File)
President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi demanded the lifting of the arms embargo on Libyan so that its army can defend the country.
The comments were made during an interview with France’s Europe 1 channel, aired Tuesday.
Al-Sisi added that Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry is currently consulting with Italy, France and other European allies on lifting the ban.
The UN Security Council extended in 2014 the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) mandate, banning the import of arms to Libya in order to improve Libyan security and disarmament efforts.
Egypt further demanded that the UN Security Council issue a decision to mandate a coalition to intervene in Libya. Al-Sisi said that “there is no other option”, however calling for taking into account the consent of the people and the Libyan government to move to restore security and stability.
He noted as well that Egypt was “careful not to intervene militarily” into Libya; however the decision to airstrike militant targets on Libyan territories came in response to “a brutal terrorist crime”.
His comments came in reference to the beheading of 21 Egyptian Copts by “Islamic State” affiliates on the Libyan territories.
