Saudi Arabia funded Haftar’s war on Tripoli, WSJ says

BY Libyan Express Apr 13, 2019 - 12:17

Convoy of hundreds of armored vehicles of Haftar’s forces appears to be heading from Benghazi coastal road westward. [Photo: Media Office of Haftar’s forces]

Days before Libya’s Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive on the country’s capital, Tripoli, Saudi Arabia offered tens of millions of dollars to help pay for the operation, the Wall Street Journal has reported.

The offer came during a visit by Haftar to the Saudi capital, Riyadh, ahead of his April 4 military campaign, the Journal said on Friday.

Citing senior advisers to the Saudi government, the Journal said the offer of funds – accepted by Haftar – was intended to buy the loyalty of tribal leaders, recruit and pay fighters, and other military purposes.

“We were quite generous,” one of the unnamed advisers told the Journal.

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