Security Council Press Statement on Libya
The following Security Council press statement was issued on 19 August by Council President U. Joy Ogwu (Nigeria):
The members of the Security Council strongly condemned the terrorist attacks in Sirte, Libya, the shelling of densely populated areas of Sirte and indiscriminate acts of violence to terrorize the Libyan population by a group that has pledged allegiance to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL/Da’esh), which includes foreign terrorist fighters. Such crimes demonstrate the brutality of ISIL, which is responsible for thousands of crimes and abuses against people from all faiths, ethnicities and nationalities, and without regard to any basic value of humanity.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed their full support for Special Representative of the Secretary-General Bernardino León and welcomed the recent round of UN-facilitated political dialogue. They urged all parties in Libya to join efforts to combat the threat posed by transnational terrorist groups exploiting Libya for their own agenda by urgently and fully supporting an inclusive political process through the formation of a Government of National Accord aimed at addressing the political and security challenges facing the country.
The members of the Security Council expressed their deep sympathy and condolences to the families of the victims and the Government of Libya. The members of the Security Council stressed again that ISIL must be defeated and the intolerance, violence and hatred it espouses must be stamped out. The members of the Council further emphasized such continued acts of barbarism perpetrated by ISIL do not intimidate them, but rather stiffen their resolve that there has to be a common effort amongst Governments and institutions, including those in the region most affected, to counter ISIL, groups that have pledged allegiance to ISIL, and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida, as the Council resolved in United Nations Security Council resolutions 2170 (2014), 2199 (2015) and 2214 (2015).
The members of the Security Council underlined the need to bring perpetrators of these reprehensible acts of terrorism to justice. The members of the Security Council stressed that those responsible for these killings shall be held accountable, and urged all States, in accordance with their obligations under international law and relevant Security Council resolutions to cooperate actively with the Government of Libya and all other relevant authorities in this regard.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed grave concern about ISIL, groups that have pledged allegiance to ISIL, which includes foreign terrorist fighters who are in Libya, and all other individuals, groups, undertakings and entities associated with Al-Qaida operating in Libya, and the negative impact of their presence, violent extremist ideology and actions on the stability of Libya, neighbouring countries and the region, including the devastating humanitarian impact on the civilian populations.
The members of the Security Council reaffirmed the need to combat by all means, in accordance with the Charter of the United Nations, threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, and that any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, wherever, whenever and by whomsoever committed.
The members of the Security Council reminded States that they must ensure that measures taken to combat terrorism comply with all their obligations under international law, in particular international human rights, refugee and humanitarian law.