Putin-Linked Mercenaries Are Fighting on Libya’s Front Lines
- More than 100 Wagner contractors arrived in early September
- Mercenaries are assisting Khalifa Haftar’s raid on Tripoli
Photographer: Mikhail Metzel/TASS via Getty Images
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A private army linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin has begun fighting on the front lines of the Libyan war, according to people familiar with the matter, the latest projection of Russian power following a decisive military intervention in Syria.
More than 100 mercenaries from the Wagner group headed by Yevgeny Prigozhin, also known as “Putin’s chef” for his Kremlin catering contracts, arrived at a forward base in Libya in the first week of September to support eastern strongman Khalifa Haftar’s assault on the capital Tripoli, said the people, who included Libyan and Western officials. All asked not to be named because they weren’t authorized to speak with the press.
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Putin-Linked Mercenaries Are Fighting on Libya’s Front Lines