Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah issued a stark warning Thursday about the growing risk of his country becoming a “battlefield.”
His comments followed reports of Russian weapons transfers from Syria to eastern Libya.
Dbeibah voiced concerns during a news conference, fearing that Libya could become the site of an international conflict.
“We have concerns about moving international conflicts to Libya, and that it will become a battlefield between countries,” he stated.
Libya, rich in oil resources, has struggled to rebuild since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising toppled dictator Moamer Kadhafi.
The country remains fractured between the UN-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east, led by military leader Khalifa Haftar.
In recent reports, Russian military equipment has been moved from Syria’s Tartus naval base and Hmeimim air base to eastern Libya.
This area has long been backed by Russian support, with Moscow maintaining a significant presence.
Dbeibah stressed that Libyans would not accept foreign forces imposing authority on their country.
“No one with an ounce of patriotism wants a foreign power to come and impose its hegemony and authority over the country and the people,” he said.
