Libyan security sources reported instances of rebellion among the mercenaries recruited by Turkey to fight alongside the Government of National Accord in Libya, noting that the past few days have witnessed several field withdrawals of mercenaries in more than one axis.
The sources indicated that skirmishes took place between the withdrawing members and their leaders.
In exclusive statements to the Al-Arab newspaper, the sources expected that these skirmishes will develop into armed clashes, especially as the information coming from the fighting axes in Libya reveals the continuing disputes and confrontations between foreign mercenaries and members of the Libyan militias, noting that these skirmishes involved mutual accusations of cowardice and fleeing the battlefields.
The sources also confirmed that many mercenaries were being insulted with racist language, which led them to disobey orders and reject directions from officers of the Libyan Government and Turkish officers, noting that they took the militias’ leaders side against the mercenaries.
The clashes between both sides emerged due to disputes on who is going to lead the battles and the spoils looted of the Libyan homes, remarked the sources.
Simultaneously, Libyan security sources revealed that Turkey has started to withdraw some of its army personnel from Libya, replacing them with others, in an attempt to bridge the widening gap between the mercenaries, to calm their anger and avoid turning it into an armed rebellion that might spoil its plans in Libya.
The Military Information Division of the Libyan Army announced the arrest of a group of mercenaries sent by Turkey to fight alongside the Libyan Government’s militias, pointing out that investigations against arrested soldiers, conducted by the Libyan army, revealed shocking facts related to the recruitment and fight operations, managed and organized by Turkey.
The Army’s press department has published parts of the mercenaries’ confessions on its official Facebook page, referring that some of them are Syrians, arrested in the east of Misrata.
A few days ago, the Libyan army spokesperson, Major General Ahmed Al-Mismari, accused Turkey of exploiting the truce between the army and militias supporting the Government, to launch a major military attack on the city of Tarhuna, stressing that the Turkish army is mobilizing large groups of militants and equipment to attack the city.
Al-Mesmari also pointed out that the Libyan army units have monitored Turkish military movements in the Libyan capital, Tripoli, movements involved transferring “terrorist” militants towards Misrata and Zuwara with the aim of conducting terrorist attacks as he described them.
The Government in Libya and its supporting militias have been criticized for violating the truce in Libya, where the Libyan Forum for Development and Human Rights accused it – backed by Turkey – of undermining the ceasefire efforts. The organization accused Turkey of deliberately military units, accusing Turkey of spreading rumors and fake news about the war in Libya.
“Mercenaries in Libya are suffering great losses, and Turkish intelligence is ready to publish any fake news, aiming at deflecting attention from their heavy losses,” al-Mismari added, pointing out that Turkey took advantage of the poverty of the Syrian youth by recruiting them to fight alongside the militias supporting the Libyan Government, which is assumed to be close to the Muslim Brotherhood.
Al-Mesmari also indicated that the Turkish government’s recruitment was not limited to mercenaries, it also transported militants affiliated with terrorist organizations, such as Al-Qaeda, ISIS and Ansar al-Sharia, conducting the attack in the city of Sabratha and kidnapped entire families, took them to the city of Zawiya by force of arms.
Finally, he stressed that the Libyan army is continuing the battle, until the elimination of all those terror groups will be successful.
