The Italian government said that it had submitted a plan in which the Libyan Coast Guard will take responsibility for intercepting illegal immigrants in about 10 percent of the Mediterranean. According to Reuters, Italy and the European Union are focusing on rebuilding the Libyan Coast Guard forces in order to cope with the boats of illegal immigration in the Mediterranean.The plan aims at spending 44 million euros to develop Libya's capabilities by 2020, provide the Coast Guard with equipment and carry out large-scale maritime searches and rescue operations.In addition, the plan conceived a project to monitor the southern border of Libya, funded by the European Union and Italy, according to the agency.
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The Chairman of the Presidential Council, Fayez al-Sarraj, has warned of what he called the attempts of the military to encroach on the political decision. He said in a press statement that such acts are to lead Libya to a military dictatorship state, which Libyans will resist in any case.Sarraj added that the Presidential Council is committed not to exclude any military figure on the Libyan scene. "The essential point in our meeting with "Khalifa Haftar" and which we repeatedly said on many occasions is that the military leadership should be under the political command. If we agree in this context, there will not be many disagreements." Al-Sarraj remarked.
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The Municipality of Benghazi received Saturday a number of demining equipment submitted by the National Council on Libyan-American Relations (NCLAR). According to the official page of the municipality on Facebook, the step comes within the agreement signed last August between the NCLAR and the municipality on providing the city with the assistance required for the reconstruction process, including tools and equipment used in mine detection to reduce the risk and consequences of landmines and the damage it could cause to the population of Benghazi.
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A security source has revealed that the second batch of Moroccan illegal immigrants held at the Illegal Immigration Agency in Tripoli will be repatriated next week. The Moroccan government has agreed to charter two private planes to deport the Moroccan immigrants back home through Mitiga international airport, the source added. The source pointed out that a delegation from Morocco arrived Saturday in Tripoli to finalize arrangements for deporting the illegal immigrants of Moroccan nationality staying at the Sikkah shelter in Tripoli.
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The head of the United Nations Support Mission in Libya, Ghassan Salame, has called on all parties in Libya to listen and respond to the voice of their citizens, urging them to refrain from any actions that could undermine the political process. He emphasised that all Libyans he had heard from are tired and fed up with the ongoing violence and with living with fear every day, and that they hope for a political solution and reconciliation soon. In a statement posted on the UN mission's website on Sunday, Salame stressed that the UNSMIL is keen on providing the necessary technical support to the Electoral Commission to establish the appropriate political, legislative and security conditions for holding the elections scheduled for next year.
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A Libyan Coast Guard patrol intercepted 262 illegal immigrants off the coast of Garabulli town and Zliten city while in their way to the Italian shores on Saturday. The Information Office of the Coast Guard said that among the rescued migrants were 44 children, 38 women and 180 men of different Arab and African nationalities. It added that the migrants arrived at the Tripoli naval base at 11:30 am and were handed over to the Illegal Immigration Agency for the repatriation process.
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The Sabratha Revolutionaries’ Brigade has urged the policemen to assume their responsibilities and to push more in order to maintain security in the city, confirming its support for the Office of the Criminal Investigation Service. In a statement on Facebook, the brigade explained that their return to Sabratha is inevitable, pointing out that they and the military persons in the city are brothers and must agree on keeping away from political strife, or to be used as a bridge for achieving suspicious and narrow expectations ambitions. The brigade had announced in a previous statement that it will return to the city of Sabratha as soon as possible, indicating that their weapons will only be directed towards those who will take arms against them.
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Foreign Ministry of Presidential Council has criticized the recent statement made by newly appointed Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis on his country's intention to send military forces to Libya to protect the southern borders of Libya. In a statement issued Saturday, the ministry stressed the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of the Libyan state, adding that cooperation in the fight against illegal immigration with the international community and friendly countries will only be limited to logistical and intelligence assistance as stipulated in the bilateral agreements signed with those countries and organizations. Earlier, the Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis stated that he wants to send a military unit in the future in order to protect the Libyan southern border from illegal immigration.
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