By AFPMore by this AuthorMercenaries from the Wagner Group, a Russian paramilitary organisation seen as being close to Vladimir Putin, are fighting in Libya, UN diplomats said Wednesday, citing an experts' report on the country's arms embargo. The experts said they could not independently verify how many Wagner mercenaries were in Libya, but estimated their deployment at between 800 and 1,200. In February, Turkey said that pro-Turkish Syrians were fighting in Libya in support of the internationally-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA). The UN report says Syrian mercenaries are now fighting alongside Haftar -- though it said it could not identify who was responsible for training and financing them. Foreign military involvement has exacerbated the conflict, with the United Arab Emirates and Russia backing Haftar and Ankara supplying the GNA.

Source: Daily Nation May 07, 2020 05:26 UTC