The UN Secretary-General, António Guterres has said foreign fighters and mercenaries remain in Libya despite the commitments made by the concerned parties in this regard.

"Reports indicated that there was no reduction of foreign fighters or of their activities in central Libya,” Guterres said in a new report to the Security Council Friday.

The UN chief confirmed that the UN Support Mission in Libya has received reports of fortifications and defensive positions being set up along the Sirte-Jufra axis, while air cargo activities reportedly continued with flights to various air bases in Libya in breach of the ceasefire agreement signed last year.

Guterres renewed his call to the Security Council member states and Libyan national actors to put an end to violations of the arms embargo and to facilitate the withdrawal of foreign fighters and mercenaries from the country, reiterating that progress must also continue on other tracks of the roadmap to enable elections to go ahead late this year.

"The Government of National Unity (GNU) must prioritise security sector reform including filling senior civilian and military appointments, producing a road map for reunifying the Libyan army and addressing the proliferation of armed groups, the UN chief said.