TRIPOLI, Sept. 22 (Xinhua) -- Charge d'Affaires of the Philippines to Libya Elmer G. Cato on Monday expressed his country's desire to draw on Libya's experience in the fight against Islamic State (IS) terrorists.
Cato made the remarks during a meeting with the UN-backed Libyan government's Defense Minister Salah Addin Al-Namroush, according to a statement issued by the defense ministry.
"The Charge d'Affaires stressed his country's desire to start cooperation between Libya and the Philippines in the field of joint maritime exercises, information exchange, and cyber defense," the statement said.
"The Charge d'Affaires also stressed his country's desire to benefit from the experience of the Libyan side in its war against IS in Sirte, in order to benefit from this distinguished experience in a way that enables the armed forces in the Philippines to build its capabilities in fighting terrorism," it said.
The Libyan defense minister also stressed the ministry's intention for cooperation with the Philippines in all areas of mutual interests, the statement said.
Sirte, 450 km east of the capital Tripoli, was once dominated by IS militants before forces allied with the UN-backed government took over the city and expelled the terrorists in December 2016. Enditem
