Over 10,000 Syrian mercenaries are fighting in Libya: monitor

BEIRUT, LEBANON (3:20 P.M.) – Over 500 members of Syrian factions loyal to Ankara have reached Libyan territory after they were transferred from Turkey to the North African nation to help the Government of National Accord (GNA) forces in their fight against the Libyan National Army (LNA).

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported on Sunday of the arrival of a new batch of 500 fighters from the Syrian factions loyal to Turkey during the last hours to participate in military operations alongside the Government of National Accord.

The monitor said that the number of recruits who have reached Libyan territory from Syria so far has reached about 10,100 mercenaries.

The observatory stated that the number of recruits who arrived in the Turkish camps to receive training amounted to about 3,400 people.

They pointed out that among the recruits there are about 200 young adults between the ages of 16 and 18, the majority of whom are from the Sultan Murad Brigade, and they were recruited to fight in Libya “through a process of material temptation to fully exploit the difficult living and poverty situations.”

Turkey is the largest external supporter of the GNA, which is recognized by the United Nations as the primary government in Libya.