Libya’s UN-backed government has been collecting evidence of Russian mercenaries from the Wagner group fighting alongside rogue General Khalifa Haftar.

Rogue General Khalifa Haftar has discussed plans to form an all-Berber “infantry brigade” to partake in his offensive to seize Tripoli, according to local media.

In a general interview in Rome today by journalists Orietta Moscatelli and Cristina Giuliano of Askanews.it, Russia’s Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, said on Libya:

Ostensibly undertaken to rid the capital of militias, the campaign by Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army was in fact a baldfaced grab for power and wealth.

The Supreme Council of Amazigh in Libya denied on Tuesday that it had sent a delegation to visit Khalifa Haftar, in order to express support for what was said to be the “Libyan Arab Army”.

UAE’s Al-Aan news TV aired Tuesday a video showing a Russian mercenary fighter talking about his time in Libya with other Russian mercenaries fighting for Khalifa Haftar’s forces.

Taking control of the Libyan capital by military operations and by advancing on it with armed forces would be a disaster, according to UN envoy to Libya Ghassan Salame.

The Members of the Security Council expressed their deep concern at the recent escalation of violence in Libya. The Members of the Security Council stressed the need for all parties urgently to de-escalate the situation and to commit to a ceasefire.

The internationally recognised Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) has condemned air strikes launched by forces loyal to retired Major General Khalifa Haftar on the capital Tripoli saying they are “tantamount to war crimes”.

In a statement on the situation in Libya, the UN Security Council yesterday called on all parties to urgently de-escalate and to commit to a ceasefire. It reiterated its full support for UNSMIL head Ghassan Salame’s peace efforts and expressed concern on reported breaches of the arms embargo as well …