Belarus denies illegal arms shipments to Libyan rebels
| Publisher | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty |
| Publication Date | 21 March 2015 |
| Cite as | Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Belarus denies illegal arms shipments to Libyan rebels, 21 March 2015, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/552f9d8a4.html [accessed 18 May 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
March 21, 2015
Belarus has rejected as a "fabrication" accusations that it supplied weapons to Libyan armed groups, in violation of a United Nations arms embargo.
Dmitry Mironchik, a spokesman for the Belarusian Foreign Ministry, said on March 21 that Minsk had supplied military equipment only to Libyan authorities and that the shipments had been approved by the United Nations.
According to Mironchik, Belarus stopped deliveries to Libya in June 2014 due to the deteriorating security situation in the country.
The fall and death of former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 has plunged the country into chaos, with the central government and rival armed factions vying for control.
Last month, the Reuters news agency said a confidential report by the UN Security Council's Panel of Experts on Libya found evidence that part of the Belarusian weapons shipments had been diverted by rebel brigades.
Reuters also cited the report as saying that "some of the deliveries appear to have been made directly to autonomous armed groups."
Based on reporting by Interfax, Reuters
Link to original story on RFE/RL website
