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WORLD NEWSWednesday 20 January 2016

Libya’s rivals declare unity Cabinet under UN plan

RAMI MUSA factions have rejected

MAGGIE MICHAEL the U.N. plan. The United

Associated Press Nations has warned that

BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) — further delays in imple-

Representatives of Libya’s menting the plan will only

rival factions who are sit- empower the Islamic State

ting in Tunis and negoti- affiliate. U.N. envoy Marin

ating through a U.N.-bro- Kobler, who brokered the

kered process announced plan, tweeted this week

on Tuesday that they have that the Libyan political

formed a unity govern- scene is divided while

ment aimed at stemming the Islamic State is united

the chaos that has en- and “set on its destructive

gulfed the country in re- goal.”

cent years. In a statement On Monday, Libya’s For-

received by The Associ- eign Minister Mohammed

ated Press, the Unity Presi- al-Dairi of the international-

dential Council said it has ly-recognized government

agreed on a 32-member told reporters during a visit

Cabinet, drawn of repre- to Cairo that the formation

sentatives from across the of a Cabinet was a condi-

country. But whether that tion for lifting an interna-

government will in fact be tional arms embargo on

able to govern the country Damages are seen due to clashes between the Libyan military and Islamic militias in Benghazi, the Libyan army fighting
remains to be seen. Libya. Representatives of Libya’s rival factions who are sitting in Tunis and negotiating through a Islamic militants.
Libya slid into chaos follow- U.N.-brokered process announced on Tuesday that they have formed a unity government aimed European Union foreign
ing the 2011 toppling and at stemming the chaos that has engulfed the country for the past years. policy chief Federica
killing of dictator Moam- Mogherini called the Cabi-
(AP Photo/Mohammed El-Sheikhy)

mar Gadhafi. Since 2014, net announcement an

its divisions only increased, Each side is backed by an take control of oil terminals Unity Presidential Council. “essential step” and said

splitting it into two govern- array of different militias. and fields, the sole source The Tunisia-based council Libya was now at a “criti-

ments and parliaments Amid the chaos, a Libyan of Libya’s wealth. includes representatives cal juncture,” urging all key

— the internationally rec- affiliate of the Islamic State In December, blocs from from the rival parliaments players in Libya to “uphold

ognized one in the coun- group has surged, claim- Libya’s rival parliaments and governments, as well the interests of their coun-

try’s east, and an Islamist- ing responsibility for a series signed a U.N.-brokered as delegates from other try and its people.”

backed one in the capital, of deadly attacks as it tries deal to form the unity gov- factions. But other mem- Italy praised the develop-

Tripoli. to expand its territory and ernment and established a bers of both the two main ment as an opportunity to

bring stability to its former

UN: Iraqi civilians dying at a ‘staggering’ rate colony, where the ongo-
ing conflict has contrib-

uted to the migration crisis

SUSANNAH GEORGE 36,245 were wounded in untold suffering,” U.N. en- toll statistics, stating that on Europe’s southern bor-

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq wit- Iraq between the start of voy Jan Kubis said in a the government wanted ders. Foreign Minister Paolo

nessed a sharp increase 2014 and Oct. 31 of last statement, using an alter- to prevent the data from Gentiloni said it was now

in civilian deaths following year, according to the U.N. native acronym for the ex- painting a negative image “fundamental” that Libya’s

the fall of large swaths of report released Tuesday. In tremist group. of the country. internationally-recognized

territory to the Islamic State just one six-month period The numbers are nowhere But civilian casualties since government approves the

group in the summer of between May and Octo- near the death tolls record- the rise of IS in Iraq are con- Cabinet. Also in Rome, U.N.

2014. Now despite a string ber last year, more than ed during Iraq’s bloody civil siderably higher than the envoy Kobler and repre-

of recent battlefield losses 10,000 civilians were killed. war. In 2006 alone more preceding years of relative sentatives of 18 countries

for IS, civilians in Iraq con- “Despite their steady losses than 34,000 civilians were stability. and three international

tinue to die at a “stagger- to pro-government forces, killed, according to U.N. In 2011, the number of civil- organizations were meet-

ing” rate, according to a the scourge of ISIL contin- data. ian deaths due to violence ing to discuss international

new United Nations report. ues to kill, maim and dis- The following year the Iraqi was at its lowest since the support for Libya’s political,

At least 18,802 civilians place Iraqi civilians in the government refused to civil war, with fewer than economic, humanitarian

were killed and another thousands and to cause provide the U.N. with death 2,800 killed.q and security needs.q