Turkey's Syrian mercenaries in Libya: 'We did it for the money'
Turkey decided in January on a resolution to send troops to Libya to support the Government of National Accord, led by Fayez Al Sarraj, in its fight against Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army. Since then, Ankara has sent between 3,000 and 4,000 Syrian proxies to Tripoli. Every week more flights carrying fighters take off from Gaziantep.
Adnan, 40, an officer from Al Hamza brigade, left Turkey on January 10 with 30 of his men. He says others joined him later. Mansur continues to send reinforcements.
"We were brought to Turkey one evening via the Kilis border crossing," said Adnan, who is from Homs. "Turkish military buses took us to Gaziantep and from there we boarded a commercial flight. There were even flight attendants and meal trays,” he says.
MIT allegedly organized several meetings of this type with tribal or military leaders to mobilize an army of mercenaries. The recruitment campaign has met with a mixed reaction among the pro-Turkish coalition, with some groups being reluctant and even denouncing Ankara's “betrayal of the Syrian revolution”.
Mohammed and the men from Jaysh Al Islam gave in to Turkish orders and traveled to Tripoli in late January. "Otherwise the Turks would stop supporting us," he said. They say they were issued with a simple refugee card as an identity document, and then crossed borders without being identified or counted.
They are following the money that Turkey promised them. Those who fought with the pro-Turkish coalition in Syria received 550 Turkish lira per month, about $90. But in Libya, they not only take home $2,000 a month, but they receive $3,300 for an injury and $10,000 and a house for their family if they are killed. Reportedly, between 20 and 30 Syrian fighters have been killed since December.
Tough economic conditions in Turkey, where many Syrians find it difficult to find work, mean many find the deal too tempting to turn down.
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