U.S. Africa Command expressed concern Thursday that Russian aircraft clandestinely delivered to Libyan rebels in May have been “actively flown” by mercenary pilots, but experts say American support for allies who back the Russian side in the conflict is more disconcerting.
“Indirectly, the U.S. has been supporting the Russian actor, not the American proxy,” said Turkish political scientist Muhittin Ataman Wednesday about the lack of U.S. support for NATO partner Turkey, which is defending the United Nations and U.S.-recognized Government of National Accord in Tripoli.
“Turkey remains, so far, the only real, vital, and meaningful support for the GNA,” Ataman said on a Libya virtual discussion hosted by the Washington, D.C.-based SETA Foundation.
The North African country with a southern Mediterranean coastline has been beset by instability and internal conflict ever since NATO forces intervened and its leader of four decades, Col. Moammar Gaddafi, was killed in 2011.
Ataman explained from Ankara that U.S. allies United Arab Emirates and Egypt back rebel leader Gen. Khalifa Haftar, who is supported by 2,000 Russian-backed mercenaries who failed to take Tripoli in late 2019.
With Haftar’s forces nearly defeated, Russia intervened again.
“A dozen Russian aircraft still stationed in the eastern part of Libya are ready for use by the Haftar side,” Ataman said of Russian MiG-29 fighters and Su-24s that were transferred by Russia to Syria, where they were camouflaged and flown to the Libyan front.
AFRICOM made the secret fighter jet transfer public in May and said Thursday that inexperienced mercenary pilots backing Haftar have been flying the jets.
Also on the SETA discussion, Italian foreign policy expert Silvia Colombo said the lack of European and U.S. foreign policy toward Libya has allowed Turkey and Russia to duke it out for future influence.
“Let’s not forget that Russia is supporting the same side as the UAE and Egypt, which are U.S. allies in clear ways, and Russia knows this very well,” she said.
“Turkey and Russia have been able to put their footprint onto the future of the country, and they have completely sidelined those external players that used to be or tried to be active players in Libya,” she said. “It seems the U.S. is not really there, it’s really looking from behind the curtains.”
NATO ‘threat from the south’
U.S. Africa Command Air Force Col. Chris Karns told the Washington Examiner Thursday that the flying of the Russian jets by Russian mercenaries represents a danger to civilians and prolongs the conflict in Libya.
“The belief is the Russian pilots are conducting basic flying, working on proficiency, and gathering situational awareness,” he said. “At this time, we can’t confirm that they have conducted strikes yet.”
He added: “With active flying occurring, the concern is the potential for inexperienced pilots being in the air, especially since Russia denies direct involvement.”
AFRICOM believes that pilots from the Russian private military contractor Wagner Group are manning the jets.
Karns also said there has been “no change” with regard to the U.S. position recognizing the Libyan Government of National Accord, and Russia’s unrecognized involvement will lead to more civilian casualties.
”The United States has consistently called for de-escalation, a ceasefire, and a return to political negotiations,” he said.
AFRICOM did not respond to questions assessing the strength of Haftar’s forces or the U.S. position with regard to Turkey’s military intervention in Libya.
U.S. Central Command Gen. Frank McKenzie also declined to answer a question on Libya posed in an Aspen Security Forum discussion Thursday.
Ataman said the U.S. and NATO should be concerned.
“NATO and European countries have to face this threat from the south,” he said.
“When we talk about Russia, most people naturally consider this as an Eastern threat, that’s why NATO has been piling up most of its powers in Central and Eastern European countries,” he added. “In the long run, I think it will be a bigger threat to control the eastern and central Mediterranean region.”
