Credit:  Wikipedia Commons / Libyan Dinar

By Gary Raynaldo      DIPLOMATIC  TIMES

The Republic of Malta seized $1.1 billion worth of counterfeit Libyan dinars earlier this week, the U.S. State Department said Friday.  “The United States commends the Government of the Republic of Malta’s announcement May 26 of its seizure of $1.1 billion of counterfeit Libyan currency printed by Joint Stock Company Goznak—a Russian state-owned company—and ordered by an illegitimate parallel entity,” the State Department said in a statement.   The State Department  noted that the Central Bank of Libya headquartered in Tripoli is Libya’s only legitimate central bank.    “The influx of counterfeit, Russian-printed Libyan currency in recent years has exacerbated Libya’s economic challenges,” the statement added.   “This incident once again highlights the need for Russia to cease its malign and destabilizing actions in Libya.”

U.S. Accuses Russia Of Sending Fighter Jets To Libya To Help Mercenaries in Conflict

The U.S. military released grainy pictures Tuesday it said proves Russia has deployed fighter jets to Libya support Moscow-backed mercenaries fighting against the U.N.-supported Libyan government.  U.S. Africa Command assessed that Moscow recently dispatched military fighter aircraft to Libya that were repainted to camouflage their Russian origin  in order to support Russian state-sponsored private military contractors (PMCs) operating on the ground. 

“Russia is clearly trying to tip the scales in its favor in Libya. Just like I saw them doing in Syria, they are expanding their military footprint in Africa using government-supported mercenary groups like Wagner,” said U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command. “For too long, Russia has denied the full extent of its involvement in the ongoing Libyan conflict. Well, there is no denying it now. We watched as Russia flew fourth generation jet fighters to Libya — every step of the way. Neither the LNA nor private military companies can arm, operate and sustain these fighters without state support — support they are getting from Russia.”

-U.S. Army Gen. Stephen Townsend, commander, U.S. Africa Command