European nations are not doing enough to check Russian and allied activities in Libya, the US’s senior diplomat for the Middle East said Thursday.
“NOBODY IS INTERDICTING RUSSIAN AIRCRAFTS”
Addressing the German Marshall Fund during a virtual discussion, David Schenker said while European capitals are “proud” of their efforts to enforce a UN arms blockade on the North African country they have been limited to stopping shipments from Turkey.
“The only interdictions that they are doing is of Turkish military material that they’re sending to Libya. Nobody is interdicting Russian aircraft, nobody is interdicting Emirati aircraft, nobody is interdicting the Egyptians,” Schenker said of European nations, according to Reuters.
“They could at least, if they were serious, I think, call them out – call out all parties of the conflict when they violate the arms embargo,” he added.
Libya has been mired in strife since NATO-led operations led to the overthrow of former strongman Muammar Gadaffi in 2011.