South African police announced on Friday the arrest of 95 Libyan nationals suspected of receiving training at a secret military camp in the northern part of the country.
The police raided the camp located on a farm in White River, Mpumalanga province, approximately 360 kilometers northeast of Johannesburg.
Police spokesperson Donald Mdhluli told AFP, “We arrested 95 Libyans after raiding a site that was supposed to be a training camp for a security company but appears to be a military base.” He added, “The site was said to be a training camp for a security company, but it turned out to be a military base.”
National police spokesperson Athlenda Mathe stated on social media platform X that the Libyans claimed to have entered the country on study visas to train as security guards. However, police investigations suggest they were receiving military training.
Mdhluli noted that the owner of the security company is a South African national but did not provide further details.
Television footage from the scene showed a heavy police presence outside the suspected camp, which included military-style green tents and sandbags.
Acting Mpumalanga Provincial Commissioner Major General Zeph Mkhwanazi said in a statement, “The 95 individuals arrested are all Libyan nationals and are currently being interrogated by the relevant authorities.”
