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Russian and Sudanese Mercenaries Supporting Haftar's Forces, in their Attempts to Control the Libyan Oil Crescent

March 4, 2019

 

Hafter in the Russian Defense Ministry, August 2017	Sudanese armed groups, file, March 4, 2019

 

Chad shuts border with Libya

March 04, 2019 - Written By: AbdulkaderAssad

Chad announced shutting down its border with Libya on Monday after an armed group's convoy from the southern region entered its territory.

Chadian security minister Mohammed Ali Salah said his country closed the border with Libya until a further notice.

He added that Libya's border with Chad has become a gathering point for gangs, rebels and terrorists and whoever is caught there will be treated one of them, thus announcing disarming Chdains and banning gold digging on border with Libya, according to France 24.

Chad closed its border with Libya in 2017 and after few months it partially reopened it.

Chadian army announced in February capturing 250 terrorists as a convoy of rebels entered its territory coming from Libya, adding that over 40 vehicles were destroyed and hundreds of weapons were seized.

Libya-Chad border and other borders with Niger and Sudan have no security at all and thus allow infiltrations of terrorists and armed groups.

Sudanese armed groups fighting in Libya over non-payments by Haftar

March 04, 2019 - Written By: AbdulkaderAssad

The Sudanese Center for Freedom of Press said there had been violent clashes between Darfur armed groups in Siddada, in Libya, due to the lack of commitment by Khalifa Haftar to payment.

The center said a force loyal to Haftar supported forces of Sudan Liberation Movement and Minni Minnawi in their assault on Abdelwahid and Justice and Equality forces in eastern Misrata's Siddada town.

"They managed to repel the forces using 20 armed vehicles. They also seized three armored vehicles and three artilleries." The center added.

According to sources, disagreement among the Sudanese movements could increase and become more violent as Haftar did not commit to his financial and military aids to them.

A defected leader at the Justice and Equality Movement Abdullah Eshak said 7 were killed and tens were wounded from Darfur fighters in the clashes near Al-Kufra.

Meanwhile, the center added that a defected leader at the Minni Minnawi movement Abdullah Adam said the Justice and Equality and Sudan Liberation movements were fighting alongside Haftar in the battle for oil terminals but the latter's lack of commitment made them side with his opponents.

"Over 5 were killed and 5 others injured from the leadership of Minnawi movement, not to mention the material and military losses in Um Al-Aranib due to the fight between Haftar and Minnawi from one side and Justice and Equality movement from the other." Adam added.

UN experts' report of last September revealed the participation of Sudanese and Chadian rebels in the fighting in the oil crescent in Libya between Haftar and Ibrahim Jadran's forces.

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Russian mercenaries supporting Haftar’s forces, The Telegraph says

Libyan Express, Monday 4 March 2019

Parts of Haftar’s visit to Russia (Photo: Social Media)

300 Russian mercenaries from PMC Wagner are supporting the “rebel commander” Khalifa Haftar, reports RBCwith reference to The Telegraph. The British media outlet obtained this information from sources in the British government.

They are all deployed in Benghazi. The information that “many fighters of PMC Wagner went [to Libya]” was also confirmed by a source close to the joint Libyan-Russian oil and gas company.

The interlocutor of the publication from the British government said that employees of the PMC “are almost interchangeable with [employees] of the GRU (now the Main Directorate of the General Staff. – RBC).” “[In Libya] they are trying to guard the ports of Tobruk and Derna for the Russian fleet,” and also if the Libyan energy industry is seized , they “can control the flow of oil to southern Europe,” the Telegraph’s source added.

The self-styled army under the leadership of Haftar is getting hold of oil fields as part of a campaign that began in January, the newspaper informs.

The army of Haftar, in particular, reported in February about taking control over the largest oil field in Libya, Sharara.

PMC Wagner, as Telegraph continues, is associated with a Russian businessman, Yevgeny Prigozhin. In November last year, the Libyan Defense Ministry showed photographs in which Prigozhin was captured at a meeting with the Libyan delegation in the Russian Defense Ministry. As part of this visit, Haftar came to Moscow as well.

The meeting was also attended by Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu.

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Background about Hafter-Russian relations:

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Hafter, Lavrov discuss Russia's military support for Libya

Egypt Today, MENA Mon, Aug. 14, 2017

MOSCOW -

Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA) Khalifa Haftar discussed with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov the possibility of Russia's military support for Libya, Sputnik news agency reported Monday.

"We will continue our fights against terrorists until we manage to liberate all territory of Libya," Haftar said during a meeting with Lavrov in Moscow.

Haftar raised the issue of Russia providing military help to Libya during his meeting with Lavrov.

"Yes, we discussed it [the issue of military aid]. I am sure Russia remains a good friend of ours and will not refuse to help," Haftar told reporters.

Haftar said he was determined to enhance cooperation with Russia in various areas.

"We confirm our desire to continue building our friendship with Russia as well as continue building cooperation with your country in all spheres," Haftar said during a meeting with Lavrov in Moscow. 

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Hafter helicoptered to Russian carrier for formal visit

Libya Herald, Benghazi, 11 January 2017

Russia today gave its clearest show of support so far for Libya’s eastern armed forces commander, Khalifa Hafter, flying him by helicopter from Tobruk for talks aboard the Kuznetsov, Moscow’s only aircraft carrier cruising off the Libya coast.

Television footage showed that this was no mere visit: Russian sailors in white dress uniforms paraded for inspection on the huge flight deck as the Libyan and Russian national anthems were played.

Hafter watched Sukhoi Su-33 fighters taking off and landing on the carrier deck. Later he accepted a consignment of medical supplies. He also had a video conference on board with Russia’s defence minister Sergey Shoygu. The full content of the discussion was not made public but part of it deal with cooperation on fighting terrorism.

But the symbolism of the visit, with the rival UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), which Hafter does not recognise, not invited, was lost on nobody. It came  just days after Italy made a public show of support for the GNA by re-opening its Tripoli embassy.

“Italy (to an extent EU) support one side of the war in Libya and Russia jumps in to support the other side,” tweeted Atlantic Council analyst Mohamed Eljarh.

The Kuznetsov‘s arrival became clear yesterday when Moscow warned all aircraft to stay away from an area of Libyan coastal waters. Overnight Tobruk went into security lockdown with roadblocks manned by police and soldiers.

The Hafter visit is the latest example Russia’s growing assertiveness in Libya, and follows his most recent trip to Moscow last December. Russia called earlier this month for the UN arms embargo to be lifted for Libya and while not mentioning which side should get the weapons, indicated that they should be at Hafter’s disposal.

The House of Representatives’s determination to keep Hafter as armed force commander has so far stymied its acceptance of the proposed Libya Political Agreement which would pass control of the military from parliament to the Presidency Council.

The Russian carrier has already made headlines for its very public mission across the Mediterranean to support the offensive to capture Aleppo from Syrian rebels, cementing Moscow’s alliance with Assad and guaranteeing it a Mediterranean warm water port at Tartus.

It did not appear from the released footage that there were any civilians in Hafter’s party that went aboard the Kuznetsov. Other officers with him included army commander Major-General Abdul Razzak Al-Nazhuri and air force chief Major-General Saqr Adam Geroushi.

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