Over two and a half years in the past, a number of sides began deploying Syrian fighters to Libya to hitch fight as mercenaries apart from the two combatants. The present variety of these recruits quantities to just about 3000 mercenaries.
On this report, Syrians for Fact and Justice (STJ) presents info confirming that a number of of those mercenaries, notably these enlisted and transported by Turkey, have been participating in quite a lot of violations towards Libyan civilians inside their operation areas, particularly within the metropolis of Tripoli.
The data STJ obtained demonstrates that deployed Syrian fighters preserve sturdy ties with native armed Libyan teams, and are taking over duties inside these teams, together with participation in looting civilian homes, imposing royalties on some retailers, and pillaging others.
Notably, the 2 main mercenary recruiters, the Turkish SADAT Safety Firm and the Russian Wagner Group hold the recruits stationed in Libya regardless that fight ceased and combatants had these days introduced the formation of a brand new Libyan authorities.
The continued presence of mercenaries is at odds with UN calls to withdraw all international forces from Libya and repeated emphasis that such presence poses a grave menace to Libya’s fragile peace and stability and dangers furthering insecurity within the area.[1]
Related Violation Patterns in Libya and Syria
For the needs of this report, STJ reached out to a number of Syrian fighters stationed in Tripoli metropolis and its neighborhood. The testimonies fighters offered verify that a big similarity will be traced between violations perpetrated towards Libyan civilians and people dedicated in Turkey-held areas in northern Syria.
For essentially the most half, the perpetrators in Libya carried out large-scale lootings of civilian homes, robbing their contents, together with money, gold, and furnishings.
Moreover, the fighters transformed a number of of the homes into army facilities and housing models, whereas they vandalized and broken others, coerced homeowners to desert their properties, and seized them.
Different documented violations embrace army actions inside civilian areas. The fighters participated in clashes with Libyan armed teams in marketplaces crowded with civilians, stormed civilian establishments, and threatened workers there for cash.
The Syrian fighters partook in these violations alongside three main native armed teams, notably the Libyan Stability Help Authority (SSA) militia, al-Nawasi Brigade, and Brigade 444.
Fighter Accounts
To acquire particulars on the violations, STJ spoke to 3 fighters stationed in numerous Tripoli neighborhoods and serving inside totally different army teams. Every of the sources offered examples of the violations just lately dedicated by the teams they’re affiliated with.
The primary supply is a fighter inside the Suleiman Shah Brigade (often known as al-Amshat). He narrated:
“Fighters began becoming a member of the ranks of armed Libyan teams after our salaries have been deducted and delayed. A number of fighters are paid month-to-month salaries by these teams and bonuses. They carry out duties similar to armed robberies and partaking in clashes towards different Libyan armed teams.”
He added:
“For example, within the afternoon, on 15 June 2022, the Libyan SSA stormed the Directorate of Taxes in Tripoli metropolis and detained the director, Hisham Mqaiq, and led him to considered one of their prisons. Inside the group, there have been eight fighters from the [Syrian] Ahrar al-Sharqiya/ Free Males of the East. They participated within the support and the arrest operation.”
He added:
“The raid was carried out as a result of Hisham Mqaiq repeatedly refused to cooperate with the SSA’s commander. The commander requested Hisham to exempt folks near him from taxes, in return for which Hisham might withhold shares of the cash. The commander had additionally requested Hisham to pay royalties or a particular proportion of the taxes the directorate collected from Civilians. Nonetheless, Hisham refused to cooperate with him.”
The supply careworn that a number of fighters serving inside a sub-group, led by Abu Mahdi al-Hayes and working underneath the flag of the Syrian faction Ahrar al-Sharqiya/ Free Males of the East, had joined the SSA, commanded by Abdel Ghani al-Kikli, generally known as “Gheniwa”, who in flip capabilities underneath the command of Haytham al-Tajouri.
Protecting the exercise of the SSA, Amnesty Worldwide documented the equipment’ accountability for illegal killings, arbitrary detentions, interception and subsequent arbitrary detention of migrants and refugees, torture, compelled labour, and different surprising human rights violations and crimes underneath worldwide legislation.
The second supply, who’s a fighter inside the ranks of the Sultan Murad Division, mentioned that 35 Syrian fighters from the provinces of Homs, Idlib and Aleppo have joined al-Nawasi Brigade, led by Mustafa Qaddour. These fighters participated in tried store seizures and a market taking pictures. The supply recounted:
“On Friday, 10 June 2022, a gaggle of the al-Nawasi Brigade headed to al-Thulathaa (Tuesday) market, which crowdedness resembles that in marketplaces in my metropolis of al-Bab. The fighters supposed to expropriate 4 retailers, on the pretext that their homeowners are loyalists of [Field Marshal Khalifa] Haftar. The group included Syrian fighters. The store homeowners requested for assist from their kinfolk, who’re fighters inside one other Libyan armed group, Brigade 444. The 2 teams engaged in violent clashes and there was taking pictures regardless that there have been civilians within the market. Terror dominated. The clashes injured three girls and two kids. Fighters from each teams have been additionally injured, together with a fighter from Homs, whose identify is Mustafa al-Nua’mi.”
The supply added:
“The standing of Syrian fighters right here echoes their standing in Afrin. They’ve grow to be mere gangs. Varied violations are perpetrated towards civilians.”
The third supply is a fighter with the Suleiman Shah Brigade (often known as al-Amshat). He mentioned that he joined Libyan forces a number of instances as they disengaged clashing Libyan armed teams. He famous that there have been Syrian fighters amongst these teams.
The supply confirmed that a number of Syrian fighters looted civilian houses, and robbed cash and golden jewellery. They focused civilians that had left their homes quickly, feeling these clashes. The supply recounted:
“Libyan teams have interaction in clashes now and again. We are sometimes deployed to finish these clashes, together with a gaggle of Libyan authorities forces. These clashes happen in residential neighborhoods, displacing civilians, who’re compelled to flee quickly. Then, a number of Syrian fighters enter these homes alleging they’re looking for arms or for wished individuals. They steal costly contents. In actual fact, Libyan individuals are wealthy, and their homes largely include money and jewellery. These thefts occurred particularly within the space surrounding the al-Thulathaa (Tuesday) market.”
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[1] UN Safety Council. Letter dated Could 24, 2022, addressed to the President of the UN Safety Council from the Panel of Consultants on Libya established pursuant to decision 1973 (2011).
