SOHR: 9,600 Turkish-backed mercenaries fighting in Libya

9,600 Turkish-backed mercenaries, including a group of non-Syrian mercenaries, have arrived in Libya while nearly 3,300 others arrived in Turkey to undergo training courses.

Turkish-backed Syrian mercenaries continue military action in Libya as they are involved in the war there on the side of the “Government of National Accord” in its battles with the “Libyan National Army”.

Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) said their activists have obtained new details from sources in the factions which are fighting in Libya.

According to these sources, the participation of Turkish-backed Syrian fighters in military operations in western Libya helped in tipping the scales of battles in the favour of the “Government of National Accord”, especially after capturing the key airbase of “Al-Watiyyah”.

“The Syrians are the ones who lead combat groups on frontlines in several Libyan territories, especially the western ones, after undergoing training courses in Turkey” SOHR sources added.

Observatory activists has also documented a spike in death toll of the Syrian mercenaries who were killed in the ongoing military operations in Libya. As more Turkish-backed mercenaries were killed in battles with Haftar’s forces on several frontlines in Libya, the total death toll of Turkish-backed Syrian proxies who were killed in military operations in Libya has risen to 311, including 18 children under the age of eighteen as well as groups’ commanders.

The fatalities are of the factions “al-Mu’tasim Division, Sultan Murad, Suqur Al-Shamal Brigade, Al-Hamzat and Suleiman Shah”. According to very reliable SOHR sources, the fatalities were killed in clashes on frontlines of Salah Al-Din in the south of Tripoli, Al-Ramlah near Tripoli Airport, Al-Hadabah Project area, Misrata and other areas in Libya.

Observatory sources monitored on Tuesday the arrival of new batch of hundreds of Turkish-backed mercenaries in Libyan territory, in order to join the military operations on the side of the “Government of National Accord” against the “Libyan National Army”.

Accordingly, the number of recruits who arrived in Libya has risen to 9,600 mercenaries, including a group of non-Syrian mercenaries, while nearly 3,300 others arrived in Turkey to undergo training courses.

Among the total number of recruits, some 180 children between the ages of sixteen and eighteen, have been recruited to fight in Libya, the majority of whom are of “Al-Sultan Murad” Division, by offering material incentives, exploiting their difficult living situation and poverty.