UN chief welcomes removal of chemical weapons from Libya

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on Thursday welcomed the successful removal of all chemical weapons from Libya in an operation facilitated by the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

Libya's remaining chemical weapons were shipped out of the country to Germany for destruction by Danish ships on Aug. 27.

Ban welcomed financial, equipment and personnel contribution made by countries including Canada, Finland and Denmark, according to a statement delivered by his spokesperson.

In July, the OPCW made its decision to help Libya develop a plan on chemical weapon destruction at the request for assistance from Libya.

Later, the UN Security Council has authorized the international community to assist Libya in destroying its chemical weapons to keep them off the hands of terrorist groups.

Libya's remaining chemical weapons belong to Muammar Gaddafi's regime, which was toppled during the 2011 uprising.

Since the 2011 turmoil, Libya has been beset by chaos. Terrorist groups like the Islamic State have continued to exploit the country's political divisions to assert control over territories in Libya. Endit