Washington, DC - The Governments of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States strongly condemn the ongoing barbaric acts by ISIL-affiliated terrorists in the Libyan city of Sirte. We are deeply concerned about reports that these fighters have shelled densely populated parts of the city and committed indiscriminate acts of violence to terrorize the Libyan population.

We call on all parties in Libya aspiring to a peaceful and unified nation to join efforts to combat the threat posed by transnational terrorist groups exploiting Libya for their own agenda.

We welcome the recent round of the UN political dialogue in Geneva and reiterate our full support to the UN process led by SRSG Bernardino Leon. The deplorable developments in Sirte underscore the urgent need for parties in Libya to reach agreement on forming a Government of National Accord that, in partnership with the international community, can provide security against violent extremist groups seeking to destabilize the country. We reiterate that there is no military solution to the political conflict in Libya and remain concerned that the economic and humanitarian situation is worsening every day. We stand ready to support the implementation of a political agreement to ensure that a Government of National Accord and its national institutions can function effectively and meet the urgent needs of the Libyan people.