The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

For first time in 10 weeks | Dozens of Syrian mercenaries return back to Libya from Syrian lands

On June 7, 2021
Syrian Observatory for Human Rights have reported return of a group of Syrian mercenaries loyal to the Turkish government from Libya to Syria. In the past 48 hours, nearly 95 fighters affiliated to factions of “al-Hamzah Division, al-Magd Brigade, Sultan Mourad, al-Muatasem Division.”
SOHR sources added that return of those fighters doesn’t came in light of withdrawal of mercenaries from Libya, but in light of fighter swap operation. A group of 100 fighters from the same factions has been dispatched to the Libya lands by the Turkish government.
On the other hand, SOHR sources have reported that al-Hamzah Division has arrested several fighters who returned back with the last patch after committing severe violations in Libya.
The operation of fighters’ return and swap came amid the international continuous demands to withdraw the mercenaries from Libya. However, such demands haven’t so far found a listening ear despite the media large focus, especially by SOHR.
This is the first time for return large number of fighters since May 25, as the return process have been only focused on the individual return at medical pretext and fraud medical reports.
On May 27, SOHR reported that foreign mercenaries are still present in the Libyan territory, despite of the Libyan-Libyan understandings, the ongoing international calls and the media coverage, especially by Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. Moreover, the return of Turkish-backed Syrian mercenaries has been completely suspended, except for some individual returns by some mercenaries who provided falsified medical reports and bribed the leaders of Turkish-backed factions, amid widespread discontent among the Turkish-backed “mercenaries” in Libya over the suspension of their return and the unpaid financial dues in return for the services they provided for the Turkish government.
On the other hand, the Syrian mercenaries who were recruited by the Russian” Wagner” company for protecting and serving the Russian interests in Libya, haven’t retuned back.
On April 28, SOHR activists reported that the return of Syrian mercenaries from Libya is still suspended, whether Turkish-backed “mercenaries”, or those who were recruited by the Russian “Wagner” company and sent to Libya.
SOHR sources said that only a small number of mercenaries returned to Syria, after they provided medical reports and falsified some of them by bribing the leaders of Turkish-backed factions, amid widespread discontent among the Turkish-backed “mercenaries” in Libya, as their return to Syria still suspended since March 25, about five weeks ago since the return of last batch of fighters, after a complete suspension of the return of these mercenaries since mid-November.
Amid-April, SOHR sources said that fighters of Turkish-backed factions, who are in Libya, were paying bribes to doctors in order to falsify medical reports enabling them to return to Syria.
On March 8, SOHR reported the Turkish government sending patch of 380 mercenaries to Libya.
On the other hand, SOHR affirmed return of the Russian-backed Syrian mercenaries who had been recruited by the Russian “Wagner” company and sent to Libya, has been also completely suspended. What has been happening in exchange operations, as a Syrian patch retuned to Syrian while another patch goes to Libya. The mercenaries’ task was to protect and guard the oil fields in Libya.