Question to the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office:

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, what recent assessment he has made of the strength of Daesh in Libya after its defeat in Sirte.

Daesh are under significant pressure in Sirte. I welcome the positive steps the Libyan people are taking to remove Daesh from their country, including Prime Minister Serraj’s recent request for precision airstrikes from the United States of America against Daesh. The defeat of Daesh in Libya will have a positive impact on the long term stability of Libya and the region. But other extremist groups, including those with links to Al Qaeda, remain a threat to the country and the region. It is important that the International Community fully supports the Government of National Accord in their efforts to bring all legitimate military and security forces under a unified command. This will help to restore stability, seal the defeat of Daesh and close the space in which the terrorists and criminal gangs are operating.

It is vital that the international community is relentless in its efforts to ensure Daesh and its affiliates are defeated wherever they arise, including tackling those fighters who remain in Libya. The UK is playing a leading role in the Global Coalition of over 66 partners committed to defeating Daesh. The Global Coalition is committed to tackling the threat posed by foreign terrorist fighters travelling to the region to join Daesh or travelling from Daesh-held territories to other countries.

It is also important to consider what comes after the defeat of Daesh, in areas that they control. We are working closely with the new Libyan government and international partners to develop a comprehensive approach to stabilisation and post-conflict reconstruction, including through the £10m UK CSSF allocation.