Should Khalifa Haftar’s foreign backers rethink their support?
Russia calls for a ceasefire but is accused of sending warplanes to support the Libyan renegade general.
Russia is one of the main players in the war in Libya.
It supports renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar, who wants to take the capital Tripoli from the United Nations-recognised government.
The campaign has suffered a series of setbacks.
Russia is now calling for an immediate ceasefire and a return to talks to stop the conflict.
But Moscow is now facing new allegations that it is sending warplanes to aid Haftar, and moving Russian mercenaries fighting alongside Haftar’s forces in southern Tripoli.
So, what message is Russia sending? And with Haftar’s campaign faltering, will other foreign backers rethink their support?
Presenter: Bernard Smith
Guests:
Sami el-Atrash – lawyer and head of the political office of the Libyan National Assembly February 17 Revolution
Jason Pack – founder of Libya-Analysis LLC, a Libyan affairs consultancy
Wolfgang Pusztai – security and policy analyst and Austria’s former defence attaché to Libya