It has been seen as a public secret that Russia has mercenaries in place in Libya. The forces support the warlord Khalifa Haftar's forces in the battles against the UN recognized government in Tripoli. 

According to a leaked UN report, there are about 1,000 soldiers who took part in the Haftar offensive to capture Libya's capital. After the offensive was hit by several setbacks, the US military says it has evidence of Russian combat planes landing in Libya.

Repainted to hide the origin

14 Mig-29 and Su-24 fighter planes should have taken ground at Jufra air base in central Libya. The plan must first have landed in Syria where they should have been repainted in an attempt to conceal which country they belong to. This is stated by the United States Africa team Africom, which has published a series of pictures on the plan.

“For far too long, Russia has denied the extent of its involvement in the Libyan conflict. Now you can't deny it anymore, ”says General Stephen Townsend of Africom.

The conflict is becoming increasingly international

UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric says that if the information is correct, it is a "flagrant violation of the arms embargo on Libya". The Russian Ministry of Defense does not comment on the information, but the Duma member and Defense Committee member Andrei Krasov has called them fake news.

Civilians move their homes

The oil-rich Libya has been characterized by fighting and conflict between rival rulers and militias since the dictator Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and killed in 2011.

In April last year, the conflict escalated when Khalifa Haftar, who, among other things, has the support of Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, launched his offensive against Tripoli.

Turkey's intervention

In January of this year, Turkey joined the Tripoli government. Recently, Haftar's troops have been forced to retire from the capital.

Libyan journalist Husen Gdora says 140,000 civilians were forced to flee their homes in Tripoli during the fighting.

 "Although the fighting is waning, many do not dare to return home because they have heard that their home has been mined," he says.