Putin, Haftar, and al-Asad

The Director of the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights revealed that groups of officers from the forces of Al-Assad regime were transferred to eastern Libya after the latter's ousting on December 08.

The Director explained that the operation was carried out in two batches: the first on December 8 using a civilian plane, and the second on December 13 on board a Russian military plane.

He added that the number of officers was estimated at about 60 from the first and second ranks, in a move that raises questions about the nature of the roles that these figures may play in Libya.

Since the start of these international reports indicating the transfer of officers fleeing from Al-Assad regime and Russian mercenaries to eastern Libya, the parties in the east haven't commented but the Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper quoted a source as saying that Khalifa Haftar has not yet decided to establish a Russian military base in the east of the country, and attributed this to "calculations related to his relations with the US."