MOSCOW—The flagship of the Russian navy welcomed aboard a VIP as it cruised the Mediterranean last month: a Libyan general who Moscow sees as the best chance to defeat Islamist extremists and reestablish order in the chaotic country. The Kremlin’s growing embrace of Gen. Khalifa Haftar, a rival of the United Nations-backed coalition government in Tripoli, signals Moscow’s desire to extend its influence in the Middle East and North Africa after intervening in Syria’s civil war. Now the Russian government is courting the...

Source: Wall Street Journal February 28, 2017 10:31 UTC