Premier Giorgia Meloni is to ask
General Khalifa Haftar to reduce the presence of foreign troops,
primarily Russian militias, in Libya when she meets the
Tobruk-based strongman on Tuesday, sources said ahead of the
meeting.
It is important to move the political process forward,
preserving the unity of Libyan institutions, and to work to end
the presence of foreign forces on Libyan soil, the sources said.
Meloni is scheduled to meet the Libyan National Army (LNA) chief
in Benghazi after the first part of her official visit to Libya,
in Tripoli. Italy, the same sources point out, is keen on being
present throughout Libya, working with all the different Libyan
actors.
Haftar and the LNA is de facto backed by the governments of
Egypt, Russia and the United Arab Emirates. France has also
provided tacit backing for Haftar's forces.
As a result of the coalitions between local actors and foreign
armed groups, Libya houses 10 foreign military bases and over
20,000 mercenaries of Russian, Syrian, Turkish and Sudanese
origin.
But the most significant presence is the pro-Haftar Russian
troops.
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © Copyright ANSA
