World powers to lift arms embargo on Libya

The joint decision was announced by US Secretary of State John Kerry on Monday following a conference in Vienna co-chaired by Kerry and his Italian counterpart Paolo Gentiloni and attended by diplomats from more than 20 countries.

"The Government of National Accord has voiced its intention to submit appropriate arms embargo exemption requests to the UN Libya Sanctions Committee to procure necessary lethal arms and materiel to counter UN-designated terrorist groups and to combat (Daesh) throughout the country," Kerry said.

"We will fully support these efforts while continuing to reinforce the UN arms embargo." 

In February, Libya’s Foreign Minister Mohammed al-Dairi had asked the UN to end the embargo on weapon sales, telling the Security Council that the UN "shouldered a legal responsibility" to help in the rebuilding of Libya's army.

The Libyan unity government has said it will submit an arms embargo exemption request to the UN, to be able to gain the necessary arms to combat Daesh throughout the country.

Daesh’s presence in Libya expanded when Muammar Gaddafi’s death five years ago left a power vacuum turning the country into a battleground of rival groups battling for powers. The group is estimated to have around 5,000 fighters in the country.