Libya Needs 'Strong Central Authorities' to Fight Daesh

Russia's Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said that Libya should gradually move with the support of all the political forces to reunite the country and create new central authorities.

UNITED NATIONS (Sputnik) — Libya must establish strong central authorities for the international community to be able to help it fight against the Daesh terrorist group, Russia's Ambassador to the UN Vitaly Churkin said outside the Security Council on Thursday.

On Tuesday, a senior advisory body for the new Libyan unity government officially met for the first time after several members of the Libyan UN-backed Presidential Council arrived in Tripoli.

“Some progress has been made, but the situation on the ground continues to be catastrophic,” Churkin told reporters. “We'll have to continue to work to make sure there is maximum unity among various political forces in the country.”

Libya should gradually move with the support of all the political forces to reunite the country and create new central authorities, the Russian envoy continued.

“This is particularly important in light of the terrorist threat, the presence of ISIS. For the international community to be able to help to fight this threat, there must be strong central authorities,” Churkin said.

Since Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011 two rival governments have formed in Tobruk and Tripoli, and many areas of the country are under the control of local administrations and militias who do not answer to any central administration.