Saudi Arabia, UAE support Egypt's comments on Libya

By Hamdi Yildiz

ISTANBUL (AA) - Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Sunday supported Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi's statements on Libya.

"Saudi Arabia stands by and supports Egypt on the right to protect its borders and people," Saudi Arabia official news agency said in a statement.

Additionally, the Foreign Ministry of the UAE said it supports all actions by Egypt to ensure its stability and security.

Al-Sisi alluded Saturday to the possibility of sending "external military missions if required," and said "any direct intervention in Libya has already become legitimate internationally,” while in Matrouh, near the Libyan border.

Al-Sisi told his army to "be prepared to carry out any mission here within our borders, or if necessary outside our borders."

"Sirte and Jufra are a red line," he said.

Al-Sisi stressed that "any direct interference from Egypt [in Libya] has now acquired the international legitimacy, either with the right to self-defense, or at the request of the only legitimate elected authority in Libya, which is the House of Representatives [Tobruk]."

However, the UN recognizes the government headed by Fayez al-Sarraj.

The government launched Operation Peace Storm against warlord Khalifa Haftar in March to counter attacks on the capital and recently regained strategic locations, including Tarhuna, Haftar's final stronghold in western Libya.

The Libyan government has condemned the military support by Egypt, the UAE, France and Russia for attacks by Haftar's militias on Tripoli which began April 4, 2019.

*Writing by Fahri Aksut