TRIPOLI 17 Jul (ANA) - A European Union mission to stop arms shipments to war-torn Libya is not "serious", a senior US diplomat has said, accusing the bloc of not doing enough to end violations of a UN arms embargo by countries such as Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

 

David Schenker, the assistant secretary for Near East Affairs, said on Thursday the EU was biased and criticised only Turkey's involvement in the conflict.

 

"The only interdictions that they [EU] are doing is of Turkish military material that they're sending to Libya. Nobody is interdicting Russian aircraft, nobody is interdicting Emirati aircraft, nobody is interdicting the Egyptians," Schenker told German Marshall Fund think-tank during a virtual discussion.

 

"They could at least, if they were serious, I think, call them out - call out all parties of the conflict when they violate the arms embargo," he said.

 

Libya, a major oil producer, has been mired in turmoil since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled and killed longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi. The sometimes chaotic war that has drawn in outside powers and a flood of foreign arms and mercenaries.

 

It is now split between two rival administrations vying for power: the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) based in the capital, Tripoli, and a parallel eastern-based administration allied to renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar.

 

Turkey is the major supporter of the GNA, which made major strides in recent weeks to repel a 14-month offensive by forces loyal to Haftar to seize Tripoli. Haftar's eastern-based forces are backed by Egypt, the UAE and Russia.(ANA)

FA/ANA/17 July 2020---------