Russian ground troops in Libya are also interfering with American operations, fueling instability and the deterioration of the political situation in the country. “Russia is trying to exert influence on the ultimate decision of who becomes, and what entity becomes, in charge of the government inside Libya,” Marine Gen. Waldhauser told lawmakers this month. Russian President Vladimir Putin claims his intentions are to improve security, political, and humanitarian conditions in Libya, reports the Libya Herald. Citing the Institute for Economics and Peace’s 2016 Global Terrorism Index, Gen. Votel told lawmakers CENTCOM’s AOR is home to nearly 80 percent of the world’s terror attacks. The U.S. military believes the Afghanistan-Pakistan area alone is where the largest concentration of jihadist groups in the globe reside.

Source: The North Africa Journal April 04, 2017 00:22 UTC