Libyan citizens question the real reasons behind the presence of the French ‘Premiere Urgence Internationale’ NGO in Kufra

Reliable sources in Kufra, in southern Libya, have highlighted the activities of the French ‘Premiere Urgence Internationale’ NGO which operates in the medical sector in the city and other villages in the area, and noted that a "team of specialists" arriving "straight from France in August" was added "for two weeks" to the staff providing medical assistance. The source added that the team was tasked with gathering information on the whole area, "identifying the needs of Libyans living there" and "verifying whether the deployment of French military troops would be welcomed in the area".

According to another Libyan source working in the city of Kufra, the nature of the work being done by the team which arrived from Paris has nothing to do with the health care provided by the ‘Premiere Urgence Internationale’ staff, but it is typical of the French Intelligence Service modus operandi, operating under the cover of the NGO.

"French delegation request to support the imminent arrival of a French military contingent in that area"

A Libyan diplomatic source, who asked to remain anonymous, said that "a French delegation arrived in early August in Benghazi and was accompanied by some Libyan doctors to Kufra in order to offer aid to the Libyan Tebu tribes and those across the border and to create a unified front in support of France. The reasons and nature of this aid are unknown. Two weeks later, the delegation returned to Benghazi and from there returned to Paris".

According to the same source, the delegation moved across the entire area under the pretense of providing health assistance, while the objective was to establish relations with local tribal leaders and gain the approval of the people to pave the way for a French military intervention in southern Libya. This approach could strongly upset the citizens who grew suspicious following the many questions and the persisting request to support the imminent arrival of a French military contingent in that area.