A recent report by UN experts responsible for monitoring the arms embargo decreed since 2011 for Libya confirms the presence in this country of mercenaries of the Russian group Wagner, diplomats said on Wednesday. Their participation in combats for the benefit of the strong man of eastern Libya, Marshal Khalifa Haftar, is peppered with tensions with his command, also indicate the experts in their document handed over to the Security Council on April 24. This text is an update of their last annual report in December which, by already mentioning the existence of foreign armed groups in the conflict, did not mention Russian mercenaries.
"The group of experts has identified the presence of soldiers deprived of ChVK Wagner in Libya since October 2018" , indicates their report, estimating their number "at not more than 800 to 1,200" , "without being able to verify in a way independent the importance of their deployment ” . These indications were reported by diplomats having access to the report which has not yet been made public.
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It is the first time that the UN has confirmed the presence in Libya of mercenaries from Wagner, a group reputed to be close to President Vladimir Putin. In 2019, the New York Times and the Washington Post revealed their involvement in the fighting, the first estimating their number at 200, the second at several thousand. Moscow has always denied any involvement in the presence of Russian mercenaries in Libya.
The members of the group "Wagner provide technical support for the repair of military vehicles, participate in combat and influence operations" , according to UN experts. They also helped Marshal Haftar's forces in the field of "artillery, air traffic control, provided expertise in electronic countermeasures and deployed snipers , " they said. "Their involvement acted as a force multiplier" for the troops of Marshal Haftar, they also believe.
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Since April 2019, the latter, supported in particular by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, has been trying to take Tripoli by force. Its offensive has suffered major setbacks since the start of the year and the involvement of Turkey alongside its adversary, the Government of National Unity (GNA) based in the Libyan capital and recognized by the international community.