Credit: US AFRICA COMMAND /  Verified image of a large improvised explosive device connected to Russian-backed Wagner Group hidden in cinder blocks within a residential area in Tripoli, Libya, according to AFRICOM. 

By Gary Raynado     DIPLOMATIC TIMES

The U.S. military on Wednesday accused Russian mercenaries of planting land mines and improvised explosive devices in and around the Libyan capital, Tripoli.  U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) said it has verified photographic evidence that Russian employed, state-sponsored Wagner Group laid landmines and IED, further violating the United Nations arms embargo and endangering the lives of innocent Libyans.

“The Russian-state sponsored Wagner Group is demonstrating a total disregard for the safety and security of Libyans,” said U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Gen. Bradford Gering, director of operations, U.S. Africa Command. “The Wagner Group’s irresponsible tactics are prolonging conflict and are responsible for the needless suffering and the deaths of innocent civilians. Russia has the power to stop them, just not the will.”

-US AFRICOM

Credit: US AFRICA COMMAND /  Verified image of a booby-trapped anti-personnel mine connected to Russian-backed Wagner Group found within a residential area of Tripoli, according to AFRICOM. 

Verified photographic evidence shows indiscriminately placed booby-traps and minefields around the outskirts of Tripoli down to Sirte since mid-June, according to AFRICOM. These weapons are assessed to have been introduced into Libya by the Wagner Group, AFRICOM said.

In late May, AFRICOM reported that at least 14 Mig-29s had been flown from Russia to Syria, where their Russian markings were painted over to camouflage their Russian origin.  AFRICOM reported the aircraft were then flown into Libya, a violation of the United Nations arms embargo. AFRICOM added that it assesses that the warplanes were being actively flown in Libyan airspace, further complicating the conflict in Libya and elevating the risk of miscalculation.

Credit:  DoD  / U.S. Africa Command /  US military on May 26, 2020  accused Russia of deploying fighter jets to Libya in support of Russian mercenaries operating in the conflict there.

Credit: US AFRICA COMMAND / Image of an improvised explosive device found in Tripoli.  The weapons were introduced into Libya by the Wagner Group, a Russian-backed private military company,  according to AFRICOM. 

Russia’s introduction of landmines, booby traps, attack aircraft, and their continued support of the 2,000-person strong Wagner Group in Libya changes the nature of the current conflict and intensifies the potential risk to non-combatants, according to AFRICOM.

“Our intelligence reflects continued and unhelpful involvement by Russia and the Wagner Group,” said Rear Admiral Heidi Berg, AFRICOM’s director of intelligence. “Imagery and intelligence assessments show how Russia continues to interfere in Libyan affairs. Wagner Group’s reckless use of landmines and booby-traps are harming innocent civilians.”

According to  AFRICOM, Russia’s use of PMCs in Libya is just part of a long history of using these non-state actors as tools of power projection. Russian-sponsored PMCs are active in sixteen countries across Africa.

A NATO-backed uprising in 2011 toppled longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi who was later killed.  Libya descended into chaos with the country now split between a government in the east, allied with military commander Khalifa Hifter, and one in Tripoli, in the west, supported by the United Nations.

Moscow has long denied any involvement in Libya’s conflict. Russia, the United Arab Emirates, and Egypt support Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), which launched an offensive 13 months ago ago to seize the capital, Tripoli, from the the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).