Libya to raise mercenary issue with UNSC after spotting white man's body on battlefield

23 Mai 2020

Tripoli, Libya, May 23 (Infosplusgabon) - Libya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of National Accord announced on Saturday that it was working with the relevant judicial and security authorities to monitor the case of the discovery by government forc

In a statement posted on its website, the ministry said that it is "preparing a special file for the body discovered, following official investigations, with a view to sending it back to the Security Council as further evidence of the presence of mercenaries" who are fighting with Haftar's forces on the Salaheddine front, south of Tripoli.

Videos and photos posted on social media showed the body of a white man, lying on the ground next to a Kalashnikov rifle and a backpack on which are inscriptions in Russian language.

On Friday, the Libyan army and support forces loyal to the Internationally recognized Government of National Accord regained control of the southern areas of Tripoli from the hands of the Libyan National Army fighters stationed in the east of the country, led by Khalifa Haftar.

This new setback is in addition to others suffered by the Haftar camp, whose military campaign, which began 15 months ago to take control of the capital, is under increasing pressure.

The 'Volcano of Wrath' military operation, under the Government of National Accord, said that its forces advanced in several areas south of the capital and invaded a military camp.

Haftar's forces, for their part, said that they had already withdrawn from those areas for a distance of 2 to 3 km as a humanitarian gesture during the month of Ramadan and on the occasion of Eid, in order to give the people of Tripoli the opportunity to practice the exchange of family visits.

Since Turkey's support, under a protocol of military security cooperation signed with the Government of National Accord, government forces have made surprising progress in recent weeks, controlling a series of cities in the west of the country that were under the control of the Libyan National Army, as well as the strategic air base of al-Wattia (West) and destroying a number of Russian-made anti-aircraft defence systems.

FIN/ INFOSPLUSGABON/OKL/GABON2020

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