The Russian Foreign Minister, Sergej Lavrov, claimed that the West used “bandits” to overthrow Colonel Moammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011. He further stated that they “rushed to southern Libya.”
Lavrov made these comments during a discussion of potential catastrophic scenarios that could arise from military intervention by the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) in Niger.
The discussion took place on Thursday at the conclusion of the BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) summit in Johannesburg, South Africa.
“Since 2011, the Sahel and coastal region of Africa have been suffering from terrorism, following the NATO dismantling of Libya and the destruction of the Libyan state by supporting terrorists who were fighting against Gaddafi,” Lavrov said according to the Russian news agency TASS.
“Afterwards, when Libya ceased to exist, it became a black hole and a route through which millions of illegal migrants flowed to the north, while the bandits, who were used by the West to overthrow Gaddafi, moved to the south,” he added.
Lavrov warned of the repercussions of the ECOWAS military intervention in Niger and the potential repetition of the Libyan scenario.
He expressed doubt about the benefits of an invasion, saying, “I don’t think that an invasion will benefit anyone. In fact, a force was created from another part of ECOWAS to counter the invasion. I really don’t wish this scenario upon Africans; it would be devastating for many countries and thousands of people.”
The Russian diplomat also called for a thorough examination of the true reasons behind the coups in Africa, such as the recent events in Niger.
He highlighted the West’s consumption of Africa’s resources, contrasting it with the different approach of Russia and the former Soviet Union, according to his claims.
In their final statement, the BRICS member states reaffirmed their commitment to resolving conflicts in Libya, Niger, and Sudan under the auspices of the United Nations (UN) and the African Union.