The European Union has lifted sanctions against the former General National Congress (GNC) President, Nuri Abu-Sahmain, currently heading the "Ya Bilady" party and head of the Tobruk-based House of Representatives (HoR), Aqila Saleh.

This came at a press conference, by the EU foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, on Monday, following the meeting of the EU foreign ministers, in which they imposed new sanctions on two Libya nationals and 3 companies.

"The foreign ministers have agreed to lift the sanctions on both Aqila Saleh and Nuri Abu-Sahmeen, and to impose sanctions on two persons of Libyan nationality, namely, Mahmoud Al-Warfali and Musa Diab, for committing human rights violations in Libya," Borrell said.

The EU also imposed sanctions on three companies, including the Kazakhstani Sigma Airlines, Jordanian Med Wave Shipping, and Turkish Avrasya Shipping, under the pretext of violating the arms embargo imposed on Libya.

In 2016, the European Union imposed sanctions on Nuri Abu Sahmain, Aqila Saleh, and the head of the National Salvation Government, Khalifa Al-Ghuwail, on charges of obstructing the work of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA).

The GNA came to power through the Skhirat Agreement signed in December 2015 in Morocco, under the supervision of the United Nations, which was deemed illegal by the  above-mentioned persons, saying power should be sought through democratic elections.