1st LD: Security Council urges countries to fight terrorism in Libya

In a unanimously adopted resolution Friday, the United Nations Security Council urged member nations to combat terrorism in Libya.

The Security Council urges member states to combat "by all means" threats to international peace and security caused by terrorist acts, including those committed by the Islamic State (IS) , groups that pledged allegiance to IS, Ansar al-Sharia, and anyone associated with al-Qaida operating in Libya, said the resolution.

Expressing grave concern about the negative impact of those groups' presence in Libya and the region, the Security Council emphasized in the resolution the need for a comprehensive approach to fully combat them.

In this regard, the 15-nation body stressed the necessity of the full implementation of its relevant resolutions, including those related to groups listed above.

The adopted resolution also emphasized the importance of providing support and assistance to the Libyan government and recognized the important roles of the African Union, the League of Arab States and Libya's neighboring countries with regard to finding a peaceful solution to the crisis in the country.

Libya, a major oil producer in North Africa, has been witnessing a frayed political process after its former leader Muammar Gaddafi was toppled during the 2011 political turmoil.

The country is now deadlocked in a dogfight between the pro- secular army and Islamist militants. The protracted conflict in Libya has caused a security vacuum for homegrown extremism to brew. Endite