PH
Egyptian President, Abdel Fattah Al-Sissi has warned Western powers against a premature intervention in Libya but instead help the national army to stabilize the conflict-wracked North African state.
“It is very important that any Italian initiative, European or international intervention, must be done under Libya’s request and also under the mandate of the United Nations and the Arab League,” stressed Al-Sissi, in the second part of an interview published in the Italian daily ‘La Repubblica’.
Al-Sissi further faulted the international community for what is experienced in Somalia and Afghanistan.
There were foreign interventions over thirty years ago and what progress has been achieved since then.
“We need to keep in mind two lessons: that from Afghanistan and that from Somalia: There were foreign interventions over thirty years ago and what progress has been achieved since then?” he asked. “Everyone knows the results clearly.”
The head of state said such a mission would be fraught with difficulty and it would be better to concentrate on building up Haftar’s forces. He also suggested that European governments were underestimating the scale of Islamist influence in Libya.
“That is a serious mistake. We have to be aware that we are up against different acronyms with the same ideology: What do we say about Al Qaeda networks like Ansar Al Islam, like Somalia’s Al Shabab or Boko Haram in Africa. Europeans look at Libya as if Daesh is the only threat,” he said.
