A research center focused on analyzing international policies has reported that Russia is fueling proxy wars in the Sahel region, using Libyan territory as a route to transfer arms and military equipment. The center stated that a recent Russian airlift of arms was destined for the African Corps in Mali. This development suggests that Russia is escalating its involvement in the region.
According to the research center, the airlift was part of a larger effort to support the African Corps in Mali. The center noted that the same aircraft and ships used in previous shipments to the African Corps were used in this latest operation. The center also observed that satellite images from mid-October showed ships loading military equipment in Kaliningrad, which had previously transported equipment to the African Corps in Mali via Libya and Guinea.
The research center identified a specific aircraft, an Ilyushin-76TD, that departed from Benghazi on November 5 and landed in Bamako during the night. This aircraft had made a similar flight on October 31, arriving in Bamako on November 1. The center also reported that it had tracked 11 cargo and transport planes at the Kufra airport in southeastern Libya between October 3 and November 3.
The center linked nine of the planes to the UAE, operating from the Bole International Airport in Ethiopia. The center suggested that these flights were likely connected to the UAE's efforts to arm militias in the region. The Kufra airbase, controlled by Khalifa Haftar, has become a key location for the UAE's military operations in Africa.
The research center's report highlighted the strategic importance of Kufra, a city in southeastern Libya that serves as a gateway to the region. The city's extensive borders with neighboring countries make it a key crossing point for trade and smuggling. The center accused Haftar of being a key player in the UAE's regional network in Africa.
According to the research center, Haftar's forces have become a proxy for the UAE in the region, providing a conduit for arms and military equipment. The center's report also suggested that Haftar's involvement in the region's conflicts has been facilitated by the UAE.
The research center's findings highlight the complex web of alliances and interests in the Sahel region. The center's report is based on publicly available data and satellite imagery, and it provides a detailed analysis of Russia's and the UAE's involvement in the region's conflicts.
Key points
- Russia is using Libyan territory to fuel proxy wars in the Sahel region.
- Khalifa Haftar's forces have become a proxy for the UAE in the region.
- The UAE is using the Kufra airbase in southeastern Libya to arm militias in the region.
