In March and April 2024, Russian landing ships frequently docked at Tobruk, the eastern Libyan port which hosts the Haftar-backed House of Representatives, unloading troops and thousands of tonnes of military equipment.

The shipments, which arrived from Tartus, contained towed artillery, armoured personnel carriers and rocket launchers.

The primary purpose of Russia's Tartus base was to service and replenish Russia’s naval assets and to provide logistical support for Russian operations in Libya and wider north Africa.

Aside from its Mediterranean Sea ports, Libya is already the base for Russian and Wagner activities in Niger, Chad, Central African Republic, and Sudan, making it of vital strategic importance.

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