Eastern Libyan government condemns Italy’s “violation of Libya’s sovereignty”

BY Libyan Express Jan 18, 2018 - 22:01

The Italian parliament on Wednesday approved the increase of Italian troops in Libya, Niger and other countries.

Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said earlier that Italy will transfer part of its military units from Iraq and Afghanistan to North Africa to combat illegal immigration and counter terrorism threats.

In September 2016, the Italian government sent a non-combat military mission, which includes about 100 special forces personnel, at the request of the Libyan UN-backed government to Misurata, some 200 km east of the capital Tripoli, to provide protection for the Italian field hospital inside Misurata air base.

However, the Italian decision was slammed as a foreign intervention on the ground by the east-based government t that is allied with the warlord Khalifa Haftar.

“We condemn Italy’s decision to deploy more troops in the city of Misurata,” the National Defense and Security Committee of the Libyan Tobruk-based House of Representatives on Thursday.

The committee said the decision is a clear violation of Libya’s sovereignty by Italy, adding that Italy, hence, admits the presence of its forces, despite its previous denial of any troops on Libyan territory.

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