Italian Foreign Minister Paolo Gentiloni on Tuesday visited Tripoli and met prime minister designate Fayez al Sarraj. Gentiloni is the first senior official of a foreign government to visit the Libyan capital after the installation of the presidential council two weeks ago for a United Nations-backed government of national unity.
Gentiloni said on a visit to Tripoli Tuesday that "the Libyans and the national unity government must lead the fight against ISIS in the country". He said Italy, and the international community, was ready to cooperate and give its contribution but the fight against terrorism was up to the Libyans before anybody else.
Sarraj on Tuesday thanked Gentiloni for his visit and stressed the importance of strengthening ties with Italy. "With Italy there is a very deeply rooted relationship which we intend to strengthen" as regards fighting illegal immigration and terrorism," he said. Italy is set to take a prominent role in helping Libya fight Islamic State (ISIS) militants and try to stem migrant and refugee flows from the north African country.
Italy delivered humanitarian aid to Libya on a C-130 transport plane Tuesday, Gentiloni said in Tripoli, stressing the aid included medical kits for Tripoli hospital and that further aid would soon be destined for Benghazi. Italy has vowed to help the Tripoli government ease a humanitarian crisis caused by widespread fighting among militias and ISIS.
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