Michael Rubin, Former US Defence Department official revealed that there is growing evidence confirming that the Turkish government has sent extremists to fight in Libya. These fighters belonging to terrorist organisations such as Islamic State (IS) and Al Qaeda, are supporting the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA).
In statements published by the Washington Examiner and reported by Al-Ittihad newspaper, Rubin said that there are documents with the names of dozens of IS fighters on official payroll, through either the Turkish Ministry of Defence or Intelligence Service.
Rubin stressed that the “terrorists hired” by Ankara, have committed crimes against ethnic and religious minorities in Syria.
“Erdogan is using these extremist terrorist groups to provide an alleged religious cover for the crimes committed by the mercenaries of his regime. This is in exchange for providing funds, and a safe haven for elements of these organisations”, he added.
The former US military official confirmed that the Turkish regime’s use of extremists is part of a broader strategy. This strategy includes providing support to terrorist groups in the African Sahel region, especially in Mali, as well as supplying weapons to Boko Haram in Nigeria.
He pointed out that the close relations between Turkey, and these groups is represented by the involvement of the Turkish private military company, SADAT. It allegedly specializes in providing military consulting, and money laundering operations for extremist organisations.
Rubin called on the administration of US President Donald Trump to confront the ambitions of the Turkish regime, its expansionist policies and support for terrorism. This is with the aim of protecting the national security of the United States, especially after that Ankara’s orientations has become a “source of instability in the eastern Mediterranean.”