NATO is working to drive the Wagner Brigade out of North Africa. There is a negotiation between the United States and General Khalifa Haftar, commander of the Libyan National Army, aimed at removing Russian mercenaries from Cyrenaica. Evgeny Prigozhin’s private military company, which is fighting in Ukraine, has also been present in Libya since September 2019. As has emerged in recent weeks and has been denounced by Minister Guido Crosetto, Wagner is behind some of the illegal immigration flows into Europe.
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Now the Libyan government has leaked the “NATO maneuvers” to drive Russian mercenaries out of the area, from which many boats depart. Haftar, writes Il Giornale, set precise conditions: on the one hand, the delivery of American aircraft and, on the other hand, the withdrawal of Syrian mercenaries from Tripolitania, paid for by Turkey.
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What comes back to the Americans? They are “concerned about the presence of Russian Mig 29s at the Al Jufra base on the border between Tripolitania and Cyrenaica” and would therefore “increase the pressure”. However, the analysis states: “Once again, Turkish President Recep Tayyp Erdogan will be the real balance of negotiations over Wagner’s ouster. And this, despite Turkey’s NATO membership, is no guarantee of United States success.” In fact, the Turkish leader, apart from being one of Vladimir Putin’s main interlocutors, has no intention of relinquishing control of the government in Tripoli. But there are other obstacles to the operation. First, the willingness of the US to give planes to the Libyans must be shown. Just like the Russians might not be ready to be kicked out.