Libya and its borders. A real sieve, an anchor for terrorists

(BRUSSELS2) The findings of the European assessment mission, like many diplomats on the spot, are clear. The Libyan borders are a real sieve. Witness the assessment reports made on the spot and diplomatic telegrams sent to European capitals. B2 was able to browse two of his documents. The conclusion is clear.

Strategic base for terrorist groups

The Libyan borders (4300 km of land borders and 1700 km of maritime borders) "have proved their permeability both by extremists sympathetic to Al Qaeda and groups tending to disrupt the new status quo and to supply arms explains a senior British official in a report. Many of the riparian countries (Egypt, Sudan, Chad, Niger, Tunisia, Algeria) have been “affected by the Arab Spring or the Sahel crisis ". Libya thus became a transit route for forces that have further destabilized North Africa. It is likely that many of the extremists who occupied and troubled Mali transited through Libya and obtained their equipment there. The group that attacked the oil installations in Amenas (in Algeria) probably used Libya for transit and refueling. »

Borders beyond government control

We can have a confirmation of this permeability to read the telegram of a British diplomat stationed on the spot sent to London. " Large swaths of the territory are not under control ". The cause can be found in " the very length and the roughness of the ground » but also « lack of government capacity ". " In the south, there are large areas of entire territory and identified borders that only exist on paper and not in reality. Personnel, equipment and weapons circulate almost freely. In most southern areas there is no clear responsibility designated for the control of borders and crossing points. »