Anti-Terrorism Conference held in Libya capital

BY Libyan Express Apr 15, 2018 - 21:31

First International Anti-Terrorism Conference was held Sunday in the Libyan capital Tripoli, with a number of foreign ambassadors and military attaches present.

The conference was organized by the UN-backed government’s counter-terrorism force under the slogan “Fighting terrorism: Reality and challenges.”

The conference discussed the causes of terrorism and its dangers as well and development of a unified national strategy to counter terrorism.

The conference also discussed regional and international cooperation against terrorism and the legal aspects of terrorism.

“The responsibility lies on all Libyans, and even goes beyond this scope. Therefore, the international community has a responsibility. Terrorism cannot be confronted only by military force. The methods of treatment must go beyond that,” said Khaled al-Meshri, head of the Libyan Higher Council of State.

“The causes of terrorism have intellectual and cultural links, although the international community is moderate and knew the fight against destructive phenomena, and refused to allow this malicious body to penetrate it,” he added.

Mohamed Al-Zain, commander of the counter terrorism force, confirmed that the force is able to combat terrorism and limit its spread in Libyan cities.

Al-Zain added that the establishment of the force reflected the desire of Libyans with the assistance of the international community to “eradicate terrorism practiced by individuals, entities, or countries.”

“The reasons for the spread of terrorism must be addressed, which are all related to religious extremism, poverty and unemployment,” He said.

The counter-terrorism force was established by the Libyan government in 2016. It consists of regular and backup military forces.

The views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Libyan Express.
How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@libyanexpress.com. Please include ‘Op-Ed’ in the subject line.