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EU enforces sanctions against Libyan leaders opposing unity government
Nouri Abusahmain, president of the General National Congress (GNC), speaks during a ceremony in Tripoli, January 30, 2014. PHOTO BY REUTERS/Ismail Zitouny
01/04/2016
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Three Libyan political leaders opposing the U.N.-backed unity government are from Friday subject to European Union's economic sanctions, the EU official journal said.
Fearful of derailing peace efforts, EU governments hesitated for months before agreeing in March to move on with restrictive measures.
The asset-freeze measures were formally adopted on Thursday and take effect on Friday, two days after the members of the Libya's unity government reached Tripoli by ship, defying attempts to keep them out of the city.
The three men hit by the EU measures are Nouri Abusahmain, president of Libya's General National Congress in Tripoli, one of two rival parliaments; Khalifa al-Ghwell, prime minister of the self-proclaimed Tripoli government; and Aguila Saleh, the president of Libya's internationally recognized parliament.
The EU official journal said they played a central role in obstructing the establishment of a unity government in Libya.
(Reporting by Francesco Guarascio; Editing by Alison Williams)
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