Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2023

Daily Sabah logo

عربي
  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV
  • World
  • Mid-East
  • Europe
  • Americas
  • Asia Pacific
  • Africa
  • Syrian Crisis
  • Islamophobia

Russian mercenaries left booby-traps after Tripoli offensive

by DAILY SABAH

ANKARA Jun 07, 2021 - 12:37 pm GMT+3
Members of the military engineering team dismantle mines in Abu Grein, Libya, March 13, 2021. (REUTERS Photo)
Members of the military engineering team dismantle mines in Abu Grein, Libya, March 13, 2021. (REUTERS Photo)
by DAILY SABAH Jun 07, 2021 12:37 pm

Russian mercenaries have booby-trapped everything in Libya, from streets and houses to even dolls following the attack on the capital, Tripoli, launched by putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar, British daily The Independent reported Monday.

"Russian mercenaries fled the Libyan capital last summer, leaving behind booby-trapped houses and yards," the newspaper quoted Libyan demining experts as saying. "They (Russian mercenaries) attached explosives to toilet seats, doors, and teddy bears, designed to detonate upon touch."

According to the newspaper, perhaps the oddest booby-trap involved empty soft-drink cans, which young Libyans like to crush for fun.

"They studied us, even how our kids played," Rabie al-Jawashi, the head of the Free Fields Foundation, a Libyan demining agency, told The Independent. "They know how we think."

According to the newspaper, hundreds, or perhaps thousands of Libyan families are unable to return to their homes because of the Russian explosives.

"It's a sad thing to see the world's trash dumped in Libya," Mohammed Zlateni, a team leader of the demining experts, said.

"Those who are responsible are those who backed the sides (in Libya's civil war). If there was no outside support, this would not have happened. We Libyans are now paying the price," he said.

Last summer, Free Fields teams were among the first demining experts to enter areas that were under the control of Wagner mercenaries. There the deminers found bodybuilding equipment, imported bottles of water and cans of fortified milk formula inside the houses.

Experts also found graffiti scrawled on walls in Russian and Serbian, with instructions on how to open doors and go to the bathroom without triggering the explosives.

"One toilet was designed with a sensor to ignite 9lb of TNT when a person sat on the seat," the deminers said. They also said they found a teddy bear attached to six wires that would explode when someone walked towards it from any direction.

According to the daily, the deminers also found a range of innovative mines, including a Russian "scattering mine" that deploys itself and self-destructs in 100 hours, an anti-personnel mine with laser beam tripwires and sinister combinations of mines, such as an arrangement in which one mine is a decoy and another explodes.

Russia has been one of the biggest supporters of the warlord along with France, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), who also backed Haftar’s offensive on Tripoli in 2019.

Formed back in 2014 in Ukraine and owned by businessperson Yevgeny Prigozhin, the Wagner Group is intensely involved in several conflicts.

The group made its presence most pronounced in Syria and Libya, where Russia actively participated in the civil war and reportedly used the Wagner Group as its proxy in the region. Although Russia officially does not acknowledge any cooperation with the Wagner Group, the reports from the field prove otherwise.

The Wagner Group has 2,000 personnel in Libya, according to the command. Currently, the group has bases in the cities of Sirte and Jufra.

The deadline for the departure of foreign mercenaries from Libya under the October cease-fire passed in January, and calls to accelerate the process continue as no movement has been announced or observed on the ground.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Jun 07, 2021 2:00 pm
    RELATED TOPICS
    fight-against-terrorism DEUTSCHE-BANK US-LIBYA-RELATIONS
    KEYWORDS
    libyan civil war wagner group khalifa haftar mines mercenaries
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    Percival Lugue, who has the Guinness world record for the largest fast-food toy collection, poses with his toy collection in his home in Apalit, Pampanga province, Philippines, April 20, 2021. (REUTERS Photo)

    Filipino man collects record 200,000 toys from fast-food chains

    TOY-MANIA
    Parts of the newly completed last section of the Northern Marmara Motorway, Istanbul, Turkey, May 19, 2021. (DHA Photo)

    Turkey raises speed limits on highways starting from July

    SPEED-LIMIT

    Türkiye's 1st domestic heavy-class attack helicopter starts engine

    heavy-class-attack-helicopter

    Istanbul's consulate chronicles: Sudhi Choudhary, Consul General of India

    SUDHI-CHOUDHARY
    No Image
    Dior's glittering craftmanship showcased on Paris runway
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021