(UTV | COLOMBO) – The US military has accused Russia of sending fighter jets to Libya to support Russian mercenaries there.
There was no immediate response from the Russian Defence Ministry to the US Africa command (Africom) allegation.
Earlier this month a leaked UN report spoke of hundreds of mercenaries from the shadowy Wagner Group operating in Libya. Russia backs renegade Gen Khalifa Haftar’s army.
The country has issued a new call for a Libya ceasefire and political talks.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed the conflict with an ally of Gen Haftar by phone on Tuesday, the foreign ministry said.
He told Aguila Saleh Issa, a parliament speaker, that “there needs to be a constructive dialogue involving all the Libyan political forces” and “an immediate ceasefire”.