Maghreb Edition

Libya: First group of mercenaries linked to Turkey leaving LibyaF

Posted On 26 March 2021

Number of times this article was read : 476

Pro-Ankara Syrian militia fighters deployed in Libya have started to withdraw, a French diplomatic source said on Thursday, describing the move as “encouraging”. “This is one of the encouraging gestures that we have seen. There are movements (of the Syrian militia forces) that have been seen and noted,” said the source, who asked not to be named.

The Syrian militia forces’ presence in Libya alongside Turkish troops has repeatedly angered France, which has called for all mercenaries to leave the country including Russians. “Our message is that this must continue, not only with the Syrian mercenaries but with all foreign forces,” added the source. The source said there had been discussions on the issue between Libya’s new interim prime minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and the Turks.

The source added that statements from the Turkish side indicated Syrian fighters may have been flown out of the country but this needed to be “specified and confirmed”. Libya’s new unity government earlier Thursday demanded the “immediate” withdrawal of all foreign mercenaries, in a call backed by the visiting top diplomats of France, Germany and Italy.

Oil-rich Libya has been torn by civil war since a NATO-backed uprising led to the toppling and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. A new transitional executive emerged from a UN peace process that was launched in November in Tunis, then voted on in Geneva and confirmed by Libya’s parliament on March 10.

France has been bitterly critical of Turkey’s military intervention in Libya, while rejecting claims that Paris had secretly  favoured Libya’s eastern strongman Khalifa Haftar in the conflict. Receiving the visiting chairman of Libya’s Presidential Council Mohammad Menfi in Paris on Tuesday, President Emmanuel Macron insisted that the withdrawal of all foreign forces was a priority. “We must do everything so that foreign forces who are on the ground in Libya leave as soon as possible,” said Macron. “Turkish and Russian fighters, those foreign fighters sent in by them or others, must leave Libya as soon as possible as only the Libyan armed forces are legitimate,” he said.

AFP

Subscribe to Urgent Notifications and Newsletter

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Gulf War Escalates as Energy Markets Reel and Regional Fronts Multiply✓

The war involving Iran, Israel, and the United States is expanding across the Middle East, with growing consequences for global energy markets and regional security. Disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and attacks on Gulf energy infrastructure have pushed oil prices higher and raised concerns about supply stability. As missile exchanges intensify and fighting spreads to Lebanon, world leaders are scrambling to assess the economic fallout and prevent further escalation.

West Africa: Jihadist Attacks Intensify in Northern Benin Amid Cross-Border Insurgency Pressure✓

Jihadist attacks in northern Benin have intensified in recent weeks, with militants linked to JNIM claiming a deadly assault on a military position near the Niger border and carrying out additional raids on security posts along the country’s volatile frontiers with Burkina Faso and Nigeria. The violence underscores how northern Benin has become part of a wider cross-border insurgency spilling south from the central Sahel, even as authorities bolster Operation Mirador and try to prevent armed groups from entrenching themselves on Beninese soil.

Desert Locusts Stir Fresh Worries in North-West Africa✓

Small desert locust swarms recently detected along the western Sahara corridor have prompted stepped-up monitoring across parts of North and West Africa, where shifting rainfall can quickly turn quiet desert areas into launchpads for wider infestations.

Written by The North Africa Journal

The North Africa Journal is a leading English-language publication focused on North Africa. The Journal covers primarily the Maghreb region and expands its general coverage to the Sahel, Egypt, and beyond, when events in those regions affect the broader North Africa geography. The Journal does not have any affiliation with any institution and has been independent since its founding in 1996. Our position is to always bring our best analysis of events affecting the region, and remain as neutral as humanly possible. Our coverage is not limited to one single topic, but ranges from economic and political affairs, to security, defense, social and environmental issues. We rely on our full staff analysts and editors to bring you best-in-class analysis. We also work with sister company MEA Risk LLC, to leverage the presence on the ground of a solid network of contributors and experts. Information on MEA Risk can be found at www.MEA-Risk.com.