Russia’s fighters retreat from Western Libya as Haftar counts losses

Russian fighters allied to Hatar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) have retreated from the capital to the south of Tripoli.

The fighters were flown with their heavy equipment out of the capital to the airport of Bani Walid, a 150km distance from South of Tripoli.

The Russians retreating from the capital on Sunday deals a big blow to the self-styled Haftar who has tried for more than a year to take over the capital, Tripoli from Government of National Accord, the UN-backed governemnt.

According to the Mayor of Bani Walid, Salem Alaywan, “The Russian fighters allied to the LNAretreated with their heavy equipment from the capital to the airport of Bani Walid, a town some 150km (93 miles) southeast of Tripoli.”

“They Russians were flown in three military planes to Jufra, and their military vehicles were driven there,” he added.

Haftar’s forces are backed by Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates in addition to Sudanese fighters he also uses. GNA is backed by Syrian fighters allied to Turkey.

Recently the GNA with the help of Turkey has been able to capture strategic places like al-Waliya airbase and destroy Russian-made air defense system which indicates Haftar is losing the war.

Commenting on the Russia’s departure, Jalel Harchaou, research fellow at the Clingendael Institute said, “The withdrawal of the Russians from the greater Tripoli area is a very meaningful event because it deprives the LNA of its most effective, best-equipped foreign fighting forces on that key front.”

Some people however are of the opinion that having the Russians machineries moved out of the capital may have some back door deals to it between Turkey and Libya.

GNA forces have been occupying some of the positions previously occupied by LNA forces. Withdrawing from is what LNA has called a humanitarian gesture in the face of apparent losses.

Libya conflict has divided the country into two with two governments each administering their respective territories in the east and the west which is as a result of not having a central government for about nine years. The conflict between the two governments has got involved foreign allies for each sides and that in turn has led to a proxy war among the allies.