(Zaman Al Wasl)- At least 200 Syrian fighters will leave to Libya from Russia's Hmeimim airbase in coastal Latakia region to join Khalifa Haftar's forces near Tripoli, a well-informed source told Zaman Al-Wasl Sunday.
A Russian cargo aircraft is due to transfer the former rebels who laid down weapons in central Homs province two years ago but they had been recruited by the Russian Wagner paramilitary group.
The fighters have followed an intensive training by the Russian army in a desert area near the historic city of Palmyra, according to the source.
Over the past few months, the Syrian regime has sent hundreds of fighters, who encouraged by high incentives, to bolster Haftar's army near Tripoli.
Turkey, who backs the UN-recognized government in Tripoli, has also dispatched troops and Syrian fighters to the North African country.
Backed by Syria, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and UAE, the parallel Libyan authorities have been on offensive against the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) since April 2019 to take the Libyan capital Tripoli.
Last April, Zaman al-Wasl sources confirmed that Libyan pilots from Haftar's forces had arrived in Damascus to follow training by the Syrian Air Force on the Russian Mi-25 attack helicopters.
The pilots had been stationed in the Air Force 64th Brigade at the Beli Military Airport, 20 km (13 miles) south of Damascus where they have to follow an intensive training for at least six months to be qualified, according to the military source.
Bashar al-Assad's regime and a delegation representing eastern Libyan strongman Haftar agreed last March to exchange diplomatic missions and confront Turkish "interference", state-run news agency SANA said.
Zaman Al Wasl
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