An investigative report reveales Syrian militias fighting in the front rows alongside GNA forces in Tripoli.
The American researcher at the Carnegie Endowment for Peace, Frederick Wehrey, published an investigation report in which he revealed his meeting with Syrian militias in Tripoli, who are fighting in the front rows alongside GNA forces, at a time when the latter does not disclose the existence of Syrian fighters in Libya.
Videos of Syrian mercenaries have recently spread in Libya, but the media office of the Prime Minister of the GNA, issued a statement refuting the authenticity of these videos, saying that they are "old and taken earlier in Idlib Syria" and pledged to "pursue all those who contribute to the publication of these lies and other fabrications."
"I asked the Syrians how long they expect to stay (in Libya)," said Frederick Wehrey. "The Syrian leader, Ahmed, said: As long as we are needed, we remain. For us, Russia is the biggest enemy."
“We are staying here as long as we are needed. For us, Russia is the biggest enemy.”
Drones and Gas
Wehrey also revealed, in his investigation published by The New York Review of Books, that since May of last year, “Turkey has been secretly flying armed drones in support of GNA forces and has also provided small numbers of military advisers and technicians.”
The American researcher believes that Turkey has "economic motives" behind its support for the GNA, in reference to the maritime agreement that granted Turkey the rights to explore oil and gas fields in the Mediterranean. “It is also eying infrastructure and arms contracts in Libya, which it would lose if Haftar seized power.” according to the Wehrey’ investigation.
“Turkey is eying infrastructure and arms contracts in Libya, which it would lose if Haftar seized powe.”
Military adventure
Wehrey warned of internal political risks in Libya, saying that "the Turkish military adventure in Libya could embroil the country in a quagmire" and added, "In some cases, these fighters are chosen from the same forces that Erdogan sent to northern Syria."
The Guardian newspaper published a special investigation on January 15th, in which it revealed that "2,000 Syrian fighters have traveled from Turkey or will soon arrive to fight on the battlefields in Libya."
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