UN chief: mercenaries and foreign fighters must leave Libya

By EDITH M. LEDERER
Associated Press

UNITED NATIONS (AP) — The United Nations chief is again urging countries to withdraw all foreign fighters and mercenaries from Libya, saying they continue to operate throughout the conflict-stricken North African country in violation of last October’s cease-fire agreement “with no discernible abatement of their activities.” Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also urged countries supplying arms and military equipment to the foreign fighters to stop violating the U.N. arms embargo. In a report to the U.N. Security Council circulated Friday, Guterres called for implementation of “a comprehensive plan for the immediate and unconditional withdrawal of all mercenaries and foreign forces from Libya, with clear timelines.”