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AFP
On 20 Might Government of National Accord (GNA) troops in Tripoli paraded a recorded Russian Pantsir air defence system.
Previously this month a leaked UN report spoke of hundreds of mercenaries from the shadowy Wagner Group running in Libya.
The country has issued a brand-new call for a Libya ceasefire and political talks.
Russia has not verified the existence of Wagner mercenaries in Libya.
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AFP
GNA officer Capt Qanunu positioned next to a MiG-23 at the captured al-Watiya airbase.
According to the UN-recognised Federal Government of National Accord (GNA), more than 1,000 Wagner fighters left a location south of Tripoli aboard Russian transportation aircrafts, having actually been pressed back by GNA soldiers.
That evacuation was not confirmed by Gen Haftar’s eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA), nor by Russia.
The US Africom declaration on Tuesday stated: “Moscow recently deployed military fighter airplane to Libya in order to support Russian state-sponsored private military professionals (PMCs) running on the ground there.”
” Russian military aircraft are most likely to offer close air support and offensive fires for the Wagner Group PMC that is supporting the Libyan National Army’s fight,” it stated.
” The Russian fighter airplane arrived in Libya, from an airbase in Russia, after transiting Syria where it is examined they were repainted to camouflage their Russian origin.”
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Turkey is supporting the GNA in Tripoli, and Turkey’s Sabah newspaper earlier reported that eight Russian MiG-29 and Su-24 warplanes had actually flown from Syria to Libya to assist the LNA.
United States Army Gen Stephen Townsend, commanding Africom, said: “Russia is plainly trying to tip the scales in its favour in Libya … utilizing government-supported mercenary groups like Wagner”.
” We saw as Russia flew fourth generation jet fighters to Libya – every action of the method.
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