Libya: First group of mercenaries linked to Turkey leaving Libya

Posted On 26 March 2021

Number of times this article was read : 242

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
Other Articles in this Week's Issue<< Tunisia: Italian garbage still piled up in Tunisia, owners unwilling to remove itSahel: Attacks on Niger targets continue >>
The North Africa Journal's WhatsApp Group
.

Most Recent Stories from the Region

Algeria Officially Joins ASEAN

Algeria just made a big splash on the global stage, officially joining ASEAN as a partner (What is Asean: An Explainer). The North African nation is essentially hitting the reset button on its foreign policy, shifting its gaze from its usual European and Mediterranean...

Sahel: Russia Replaces Wagner in Mali Under Pressure from Algeria, Touaregs Brace

Sahel: Russia Replaces Wagner in Mali Under Pressure from Algeria, Touaregs Brace

With Wagner stepping aside, the Africa Corps is moving in, bringing structure and legitimacy to Moscow’s support for Bamako. Touareg leaders, fearing a more efficient and state-backed force, have begun testing quiet understandings with jihadist factions like GSIM. It’s not a formal alliance, but a sign of growing desperation in a region where alliances shift quickly and survival often overrides ideology.

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.

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This