The quarterly report on counterterrorism operations in Africa prepared by the U.S. Defense Department’s inspector general reports that Turkey sent between 3,500 and 3,800 Syrian fighters to Libya over the first three months of this year. The report adds that Turkey paid and offered citizenship to the mercenaries to fight for the Turkish-backed Government of National Accord in Tripoli against Libyan National Army led by Commander Khalifa Haftar.
The report said they found no evidence to suggest the mercenaries were affiliated with the Islamic State extremist group or al-Qaeda, but were “`very likely'’ motivated by generous financial packages rather than ideology or politics,” according to a report in Asharq Al-Awsat daily.
