Libya is unraveling, with two rival governments operating their own armed forces under separate parliaments, nearly four years after the civil war that ousted leader Muammar Gaddafi.
"The deteriorating situation in Libya made it necessary to close (the embassy)," Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni said. Embassy staff have been sent back to Italy, the ministry said.
Violence appears to be intensifying in Libya, where Islamic State is also active. The militant group released on Sunday a video that purported to show the beheadings of Egyptian Christians it had kidnapped in Libya.
The violence is particularly alarming to Italy because the two countries are separated only by a narrow stretch of the Mediterranean, across which migrants travel looking for a better life in Europe. Chaos in Libya has made it almost impossible to police traffickers who charge up to $2,000 for the passage.
Italy's coast guard, which was involved in a full-scale search and rescue mission until last year, has gone to rescue more than 2,000 people since Friday, days after more than 300 people died trying to make the crossing............... Reuters...............http://www.todayonline.com/world/italy-closes-libyan-embassy-urges-un-mission?singlepage=true15/2/15
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Sisi vows to avenge Islamic State killings of 21 Egyptians in Libya...
ReplyDeleteIslamic State group militants released a video on Sunday that appeared to show the beheadings of 21 Egyptian Christians in Libya, provoking a warning from President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi that his country would respond to the deaths as it saw fit.
Speaking on national television hours after the release of the video, Sisi said Cairo would choose the “necessary means and timing to avenge the criminal killings”.
Egypt’s state news agency MENA quoted the spokesman for the Coptic Church as confirming that 21 Egyptian Christians believed to be held by Islamic State were dead.
The beheadings could stiffen Sisi’s resolve in dealing with security threats from militants thriving in neighbouring Libya’s chaos who want to topple his U.S.-backed government. Egypt has denied reports in the past that it had taken part, along with its close ally the United Arab Emirates, in air strikes against militants based in Libya...............http://www.france24.com/en/20150215-group-claims-beheading-egyptians-libya/
16/2/15
The Egyptian Air Force has carried out a series of bombings on Islamic State (ISIL) positions in Libya following execution of 21 Egyptian Copts, Egyptian state television said Monday...
ReplyDeleteOn Sunday evening, the ISIL published a video showing the beheading of 21 Egyptian Christian Copts who were kidnapped in Libya.
Egyptian President Abdel Sisi said Cairo “reserves the right to respond in any way” after the brutal killings.
Egypt is part of a broad coalition of US, EU and Arab countries fighting the IS militant group in the Middle East since August 2014. The coalition was set up following the rapid advance of the ISIL in Syria and Iraq, where it hopes to create a caliphate................http://sputniknews.com/military/20150216/1018320374.html#ixzz3RtHJhpzA
16/2/15