Why is Libya's commander Hifter visiting Russia?
The visit comes amid the aftermath of the Wagner Group’s ill-fated mutiny and the death of its leader, Yevgeny Prigozhin, in Russia.
Libyan military commander Khalifa Hifter made a surprise visit to Russia on Tuesday during a critical time in Libya-Russia relations.
Hifter, who commands the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA), was received by Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yunus-Bek Yevkurov in Moscow. The two were scheduled to discuss unspecified developments in Libya and relations between Libya and Russia, according to a Facebook post by the LNA.
Haftar in Moscow today pic.twitter.com/ZKqITjOO6P
— Jalel Harchaoui جلال حرشاوي (@JMJalel_H) September 26, 2023
Russia has supported Hifter’s forces throughout the Libyan civil war in its fight against the internationally recognized government in Tripoli, now led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah.
