{"id":14779,"date":"2020-09-12T02:08:16","date_gmt":"2020-09-12T02:08:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2020\/09\/12\/africom-russian-fighter-jets-flown-by-mercenaries-are-conducting-combat-activities-in-libya\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T05:28:07","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T05:28:07","slug":"africom-russian-fighter-jets-flown-by-mercenaries-are-conducting-combat-activities-in-libya","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/flashpoints\/2020\/09\/12\/africom-russian-fighter-jets-flown-by-mercenaries-are-conducting-combat-activities-in-libya\/","title":{"rendered":"AFRICOM: Russian fighter jets flown by mercenaries are conducting combat activities in Libya"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Russian fighter jets mercenaries are flying in Libya<\/a> are engaging in ground strikes and combat activities, U.S. Africa Command says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to Navy Rear Adm. Heidi Berg, AFRICOM\u2019s director of intelligence, there are at least 14 Russian fighter aircraft that are based out of Al Jufra and Al Khadim airfields in Libya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are, we assess, being operated by Wagner Group,\u201d Berg told reporters Friday. \u201cThese fighters are engaging in combat activities. We have seen them conduct ground strikes and conduct combat activities in country. So they are not there for training the Libyan National Army, they\u2019re not there to simply support the LNA. They are there to conduct combat activities on behalf of their own national interests.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe also know they\u2019re not that good,\u201d Berg said, citing that one Mig-29 aircraft crashed in June followed by another on Sept. 7.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Wagner Group \u2014 a private military company that U.S. officials have warned has close ties to the Kremlin and is headed by a former Russian intelligence officer \u2014 supports the Libyan National Army that\u2019s going up against the United Nations-backed Government of National Accord.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In May, AFRICOM announced<\/a> Russia had deployed MiG-29 and Su-24 aircraft to Al Jufra Airfield in Libya and that the aircraft were expected to support Wagner Group mercenaries. The command said that the aircraft touched down in Syria and were repainted to obscure their Russian ties before ultimately landing in Libya.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cRussia is clearly trying to tip the scales in its favor in Libya. Just like I saw them doing in Syria, they are expanding their military footprint in Africa using government-supported mercenary groups like Wagner,\u201d AFRICOM commander Army Gen. Stephen Townsend said in May.<\/p>\n\n\n\t