Libya calls for international sanctions on Russian mercenaries and their backers

Libya’s permanent representative to the United Nations has called for the United States and the European Union to impose sanctions over the activities of Russian mercenaries and other actors involved in the conflict in the North African country.

Russian mercenaries and other foreign fighters forced their way into the Sharara oilfield on Friday, according to Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC).

“Since UN Sec Council failed to sanction individuals/mercenaries as Wagner/Haftar and others, who violate all resolutions, US/EU should take such actions and freeze assets as any terrorist organisation and hold who finance them accountable,” Taher el-Sonni wrote on Twitter on Saturday.

On Friday, the NOC said Russian and other foreign mercenaries entered Sharara oilfield in a convoy of vehicles and met representatives of the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG), forces established to maintain security at the oilfields.

The Sharara oilfield produces more than 300,000 barrels of crude oil per day, forming roughly one-third of the oil-rich country’s production.

Read more via Al Jazeera