US says jets deployed by Russia in Libya in active use
LIBYA-The United States has renewed its accusations that the Russian government is deploying fighter jets in Libya in support of easternbased renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar. In a statement on Thursday, the US Africa Command (AFRICOM) alleged Russia was using jets it had recently sent to the North African country to support private military contractors working with Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army.
AFRICOM said it had photographic evidence of a Russian aircraft taking off from Jufra in central Libya, and that a MiG-29 was photographed operating in the vicinity of the coastal city of Sirte. There was no immediate comment by Russian officials. The AFRICOM statement came weeks after it said in late May that Russia had flown at least 14 MiG29s and several Su-24s to Libya via Syria, where its forces support President Bashar alAssad. At the time, a member of the defence committee in Russia’s lower house of parliament had dismissed the allegation as “fake” news. “There is concern these Russian aircraft are being flown by inexperienced, non-state PMC [private military companies] mercenaries who will not adhere to international law; namely, they are not bound by the traditional laws of armed conflict,” said Bradford Gering, AFRICOM’s director of operations. “Russia continues to push for a strategic foothold on NATO’s southern flank and this is at the expense of innocent Libyan lives,” he said.
Sirte and Jufra are on the dividing line between areas in western Libya controlled by groups loyal to the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and eastern areas controlled by Haftar. The LNA has retreated eastwards in recent weeks after a 14-month offensive on the capital, Tripoli, though it is holding the line around Sirte and still controls Jufra airbase. Libya’s conflict has seen growing involvement by foreign powers that have poured weapons into the country in violation of a United Nations arms embargo. Russia, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt have backed the LNA, while GNA forces are supported by Turkey.
(Al Jazeera)