UN envoy slams foreign interference, air strikes in Libya

The UN's Libya envoy pleaded with foreign actors to honor an arms embargo on the conflict-torn country as he said an attack on a Tripoli factory Monday may amount to a war crime.

Ghassan Salame accused unnamed countries of worsening the violence in Libya in a strongly worded address via video link to the United Nations Security Council in New York.

He said "external parties" were operating drone strikes that are increasing civilian casualties, adding that the growing use of experienced mercenaries was intensifying the conflict.

"The dangers and direct consequences of foreign interference are increasingly evident," said Salame, warning of a "race against time" to secure a peaceful resolution to the conflict.

Salame called for external actors to adhere to a UN arms embargo imposed on Libya since 2011.

He did not mention any names but a confidential report seen by AFP earlier this month found that Jordan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have regularly violated the embargo.

The year-long study found that the three countries "routinely and sometimes blatantly supplied weapons with little effort to disguise the source."