An unidentified drones carried out an attack on a position affiliated with the Russia’s Wagner Group in eastern Libya on Thursday, the daily online newspaper Libya Review reported. Fortunately, no human casualties were reported as a result of the attack.
The targeted site was the Al-Kharouba airbase, located approximately 150 kilometers southeast of Benghazi. While the Libyan National Army denied the reports, dismissing them as an attempt to undermine morale and prepare for targeting oil fields, the presence of the Wagner Group in the region is widely known.
The Wagner Group, a private military company, is known for providing security to Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, the son of former Libyan President Moammar Gaddafi, who is currently running for presidential elections. The group has been involved in the Libyan conflict since April 2019, fighting alongside the Libyan National Army against the Government of National Accord (GNA).
Additionally, the Wagner Group has been active in other regions, including Mali, the Central African Republic (CAR), and Sudan, where they support the operations of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) against the Sudanese army.
Notably, the Wagner Group made headlines last week when it staged a short-lived rebellion in Russia, taking control of the Ministry of Defence headquarters in Rostov. However, they have since withdrawn from their positions following an agreement with the Kremlin. The group’s leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, has departed for Belarus.
Despite their withdrawal from Russia, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov stated on Monday that the Wagner Group would continue its operations in Mali and the CAR. They are currently providing support to the RSF in Sudan, aiding their operations against the Sudanese army.
The concentration of the Wagner Group’s presence in areas rich in gold and oil reserves is notable. In Sudan, they not only offer protection but also manage gold mines under an agreement established with the government of Omar al-Bashir in 2017.
