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Libyan minister: Solution to crisis lies in supporting army

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Libyan Minister of Information and Culture Omar al-Qweri stressed that the solution in Libya is not political, but rather military, and can only be achieved by lifting the ban on arming the Libyan army.
Members of Libyan pro-government forces, which is backed by the locals, look on in an army camp, in Benghazi February 1, 2015. Violent clashes between Libyan pro-government forces and the Shura Council of Libyan Revolutionaries, an alliance of former anti-Gaddafi rebels, who have joined forces with the Islamist group Ansar al-Sharia, have occurred in the areas surrounding the camp. Picture taken February 1, 2015. REUTERS/Esam Omran Al-Fetori (LIBYA  - Tags: CIVIL UNREST POLITICS MILITARY) - RTR4NUE6
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CAIRO — The internal situation has worsened in Libya, with armed militias taking control of the capital, Tripoli, and large parts of the country, while fighting has intensified between them and the Libyan army led by Gen. Khalifa Hifter. In light of this, Minister of Information and Culture Omar al-Qweri stressed that the current situation in Libya does not require a political solution — as sought by international mediation efforts — but rather needs a military solution to put an end to the security crisis.

In an interview with Al-Monitor during his visit to Cairo on March 15, Qweri said, “There is no effective international force when it comes to the Libyan issue.” He accused European states of playing a negative role in the crisis in his country, saying, “We do not understand why London has become a capital supplying us with terrorism.” He added, “European states have been negligent regarding the situation in Libya, despite the fact that they are faced with terrorism and boats of terrorists will soon arrive to their shores.”

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