Weapons looted during Libya conflict reached extremist groups in Nigeria – UN

The United Nations (UN) has revealed that immoderate weapons stolen during Libya’s 2011 struggle aboriginal recovered their mode into the hands of extremist groups operating successful Nigeria and different countries successful the Sahel region.

Speaking astatine a gathering connected the dispersed of illicit firearms astatine the UN office successful New York on Tuesday, Izumi Nakamitsu stated: “Libya, wherever weapons looted oregon diverted during and aft the 2011 conflict, which ended the regularisation of Muammar Gaddafi, aboriginal surfaced crossed the wider Sahel region, including successful Niger, Burkina Faso, and Nigeria.

“Some were subsequently recovered successful the hands of extremist groups, illustrating however arms from 1 struggle tin destabilise neighbouring countries years later.”

Nakamitsu further stressed: “The extremity of the struggle does not mean the extremity of the circulation of those weapons; it stays, and it continues to harm people.”

The UN authoritative noted that the dispersed of tiny arms tin undermine peacebuilding efforts and lend to renewed instability, particularly erstwhile weapons stay successful the possession of equipped groups, militias, oregon communities seeking self-protection.

She besides linked the proliferation of illicit firearms to terrorism, quality rights violations, and intersexual and gender-based violence.

“It is no...