UN experts say Libyan arms fueling conflicts

Investigators say ‘Libya has become a primary source of illicit weapons’ to several countries

By AP 13 March 2014, 5:10 am

Edit

Libyan revolutionary fighters load their machine gun during an attack against pro-Gadhafi forces in 2011. (photo credit: AP/Bela Szandelszky)

UNITED NATIONS — UN experts say arms trafficking from Libya is fueling conflict, insecurity and terrorism on several continents.

Since civil war ousted longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, the experts said “Libya has become a primary source of illicit weapons.”

In a report to the UN Security Council obtained Wednesday, the panel of experts said it is investigating the alleged transfer of weapons to 14 countries in violation of a UN arms embargo.

The experts said they have documented the transfer of Libyan shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles to terrorist groups in Mali and Tunisia, and to others in Chad, Lebanon and “potentially” the Central African Republic.

They said Lebanon’s seizure of a Syria-bound ship in April 2012 proved that there were attempts to transfer such missiles to the Syrian opposition from Libya.