Over 21,000 Foreign Military, Mercenaries Currently Present In Libya - Source

BENGHAZI (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 27th October, 2021) The number of foreign military and mercenaries in Libya may exceed 21,000 people, a source in the Libyan National Army (LNA) told Sputnik on Tuesday.

"In the south of the country, the number of mercenaries may be 11,000. In other parts of the country, their number exceeds 10,000," the source said, noting that the majority of foreign mercenaries are from Syria, Sudan and Chad.

According to the source, the meetings of the 5+5 Joint Military Commission with representatives of Chad, Sudan and Niger are to be held in the Egyptian capital of Cairo early next month to discuss the schedule for the withdrawal of foreign military and mercenaries from Libya.

Earlier in October, Libya's UN-facilitated Joint Military Commission, made up of five senior military officers aligned with the internationally recognized Government of National Accord and five from eastern warlord Khalifa Haftar's army, backed a comprehensive action plan for the withdrawal of foreign forces and mercenaries from the country.

Libya has been split between two rival administrations since its longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown and murdered back in 2011. The western part of the country is controlled by the Government of National Accord headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, while the eastern one by Libyan National Army's Haftar, with the south attracting runaway terrorists from Syria and Iraq.

In February, the Swiss-hosted round of intra-Libyan talks led to the formation of an interim Government of National Unity that will be in charge until the December 24 election.