Libya's Grand Mufti urges resistance against Russian forces
On Friday, the Grand Mufti of Libya, Sheikh Sadik al-Ghariani, called on all Libyans to unite against the Russians in their country. The Russians fled to Libya after the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria.
Mufti al-Ghariani emphasized in his weekly broadcast on Tanasuh television that Russians have increased their presence in Libya since early December, bringing in military equipment. He argued that these are not civilians but fighters who must be expelled from Libya.
General Khalifa Haftar and his sons received the Russians in Libya, joining mercenaries from the Wagner Group already stationed in Benghazi and Tobruk.
Libyans in the country's eastern, southern, and western regions must oppose their presence, take up arms, and fight against them, said the mufti.
The day before, on Thursday, the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity, Abd al-Hamid Dbeibah, also reacted to the presence of Russians. He stated that he does not agree with the introduction of Russian military equipment into Libya and warned that his government will combat foreign troops. He also emphasized that "he will not accept Libya as an international battlefield".
Russian movements in Libya
Following the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime in Syria, Russia sent transport planes with air defence equipment to Libya. At the same time, the Russians are seeking permission to build a naval base in Tobruk near the Egyptian border. So far, General Haftar, who supports Putin, has not commented on this information.
Libya has been divided since 2011 into a western and an eastern part, struggling with the presence of Russian mercenaries. Tripoli administers the Government of National Unity, while Haftar informally controls Benghazi.
