France calls for action against Islamists in southern Libya
By Abdoulaye Massalatchi
NIAMEY | Tue May 28, 2013 6:10pm EDT
(Reuters) - <
http://www.reuters.com/places/france> France urged African
nations on Tuesday to make a concerted effort to tackle a growing Islamist
threat in the deserts of southern Libya.
French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, speaking on a visit to Niger where
suicide bombers attacked a French-run uranium mine last week, said there
were signs that Libya's lawless south was becoming a safe haven for Islamist
groups in the Sahara.
"It seems we must make a special effort on southern Libya - which is also
what Libya wants," Fabius said after meeting Niger President Mahamadou
Issoufou. "We spoke about the initiatives which neighboring countries can
take in liaison with Libya."
A five-month French-led military campaign broke Islamists' hold over the
northern two-thirds of Mali, killing hundreds of al Qaeda-linked fighters
and pushing others into neighboring states.
Niger has said the Islamists who carried out Thursday's twin attacks on an
Areva ( <
http://www.reuters.com/finance/stocks/overview?symbol=AREVA.PA>
AREVA.PA) mine and a military barracks, which killed 25 people, had crossed
the border from Libya. Tripoli has denied this.
Fabius said efforts to address the problem in southern Libya would need
support from <
http://www.reuters.com/places/tunisia> Tunisia, Algeria,
Chad, Mali and Egypt.
"Since, as is often said, a large part of Libya could act as a refuge for
terrorist groups, all of these countries must act together," Fabius said,
adding that France would assist them with "lots of determination, lots of
solidarity".
Libya has become a weapons smuggling route for al Qaeda militants in the
Sahara since Muammar Gaddafi's fall in 2011.
Veteran al Qaeda commander Mokhtar Belmokhtar acquired arms there and his
fighters used it as a transit route before a mass hostage-taking at a gas
plant in Algeria in January, security sources say.
Tripoli is struggling to control armed groups which helped topple Gaddafi
and now refuse to lay down their weapons. Parliament in December declared
the south a military zone but policing its borders remains a huge task for
weak state forces.
Last week's attacks in Niger were claimed jointly by Belmokhtar and the
MUJWA militant group which formed part of the Islamist coalition which
seized northern Mali last year.
MALI VISIT
Later on Tuesday, Fabius travelled to Mali where a day earlier the
government fixed July 28 as the date for elections, aimed at restoring
democracy after a military coup last year and bringing some stability to the
conflict-torn country.
Islamist fighters continue to mount sporadic attacks in the north. And
several towns, including Kidal, are occupied by the Tuareg separatist group
the MNLA, raising doubts that the polls can go forward safely and throughout
the country.
The MNLA launched its rebellion in January last year and initially fought
alongside al Qaeda-linked forces before being sidelined by the better armed
Islamists. Having watered down independence demands, it is calling for talks
with the government over securing a degree of autonomy.
"There are discussion happening now. I would like these discussions to wrap
up quickly, but in any case it is clear that there cannot be two countries
in one country," Fabius said. "So therefore measures will be taken so that
Kidal can vote." He did not elaborate.
France is gradually drawing down the 4,000 troops it deployed in Mali but it
will keep 1,000 soldiers there after December as a rapid reaction force to
tackle any Islamist threat. It will hand routine security operations to a
planned 12,000-strong U.N. peacekeeping mission.
(Additional reporting by Tiemoko Diallo; Writing by Daniel Flynn and Joe
Bavier; Editing by Robin Pomeroy and Pravin Char)
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Received on Tue May 28 2013 - 19:06:38 EDT