The U.S. Africa Command said the Russian military aircraft arrived in Libya recently from an air base in Russia via Syria, where they were repainted to hide their Russian origin
This translation has been automatically generated and has not been verified for accuracy.
AFRICOM said the aircraft were likely to provide close air support and offensive fire for the Wagner Group, a Russia-based state-sponsored company that employs mercenaries to fight alongside the eastern forces of military commander Khalifa Hifter. In the past two months, Hifter’s forces have lost a string of western towns and a key air base after Turkey stepped up military support for his rivals, sending drones, air defence systems, armoured vehicles and thousands of Syrian mercenaries.
“The world heard Mr. Hifter declare he was about to unleash a new air campaign. That will be Russian mercenary pilots flying Russian-supplied aircraft to bomb Libyans,” Townsend said.
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