The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) continues monitoring Turkey’s transfer of Syrian mercenaries to Libya, at a time when recruitment operations are escalating in camps that are in areas under the control of Turkish forces and their proxies in Idlib and Aleppo.
According to SOHR sources, brokers continue attracting youth from refugee camps to join the fighting in Libya under Turkish leadership in exchange for funds, thus taking advantage of the tragic living circumstances and economic challenges in these areas.
The SOHR believed that a broker takes $100 to $300 for each fighter he convinces to join the groups being prepared for fighting in Libya.
On August 6, the SOHR sources monitored the arrival of a new batch of mercenaries in Libya as Ankara continues escalating its involvement in the Libyan conflict by supporting the Tripoli-based GNA. This is despite Turkey participating in and agreeing to the outputs of the Berlin Conference and the upholding of the UN arms embargo.
The new batch included nearly 300 fighters affiliated to the factions of Sultan Murad, Al-Hamza Division and Sultan Suleiman Shah.
The Director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR), Rami Abdel-Rahman claimed that approximately 17,000 fighters, of which 10,000 are non-Syrians with 2,500 being Tunisian nationals, have gone to Libya. He pointed out that they had all traveled via Turkey, with the support of Turkish intelligence.
SOHR claimed that the number of jihadists who were transported from Syria to Libya for fighting reached 10,000. Meanwhile, the number of Turkish-backed Syrian mercenaries killed in armed operations in Libya rose to nearly 481, including 34 children under the age of eighteen, as well as some group commanders.