UN: Libyan Weapons Fuel Extremist Groups in Nigeria and the Sahel
Nakamitsu drew a direct line between the spread of these illicit weapons and a rise in terrorism, widespread human rights abuses, and incidents of sexual and gender-based violence, underscoring the broader humanitarian and security consequences of arms trafficking.
The United Nations says weapons looted during Libya’s 2011 conflict are now stoking violence across West Africa, turning up in the arsenals of extremist groups in Nigeria and throughout the Sahel. Izumi Nakamitsu, the UN Under-Secretary-General and High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, told delegates at the UN headquarters in New York that the illicit arms trade fueled by that looting is amplifying insecurity in the region.
Speaking on the proliferation of illicit arms, Nakamitsu warned that weapons diverted or stolen during wars often remain in circulation long after hostilities end, creating persistent risks. “The end of the conflict does not mean the end of the circulation of those weapons; it stays, and it continues to harm people,” she said, stressing the enduring nature of the threat.
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Nakamitsu drew a direct line between the spread of these illicit weapons and a rise in terrorism, widespread human rights abuses, and incidents of sexual and gender-based violence, underscoring the broader humanitarian and security consequences of arms trafficking.
