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The South African Police Service (SAPS) has uncovered what it believes to be a military training camp in White River, and has apprehended 95 foreign nationals in a raid on the facility.
In a statement on Friday, the SAPS said the operation was carried out in conjunction with the ProvJOINT structure, including the Department of Home Affairs and other role players like Police Intelligence.
Acting Provincial Commissioner of the SAPS in Mpumalanga, Major General (Dr) Zeph Mkhwanazi, convened the Provincial Joint Structures (ProvJOINTS) two days ago after receiving intelligence information about the suspected camp, which led to the raid on Friday 26 July and subsequent arrests.
The location, which was initially designated as a training site, appears to have been converted into an illegal military training base. The 95 individuals taken into custody are all Libyan nationals and are currently being questioned by the relevant authorities, the SAPS said.
“We take any threat to the security and stability of our province and country very seriously,” said Mkhwanazi. “This operation demonstrates our commitment to acting swiftly and decisively against any activities that could undermine our national interests and ensure the safety of our citizens because that is our primary mandate.”
The investigation is still ongoing, and further details will be provided as they become available, the SAPS said, adding that it would like to assure the public that there is no immediate threat to community safety.
ENCA reported that the Libyans, in their visa applications, apparently claimed to be entering South Africa to train as security guards.
At this stage it is not clear if the Libyan nationals are in South Africa for security training, as mercenaries, or if they are supporting either of the North African nation’s rival governments. Libya descended into chaos after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in a NATO-backed uprising in 2011, and is split between rival administrations in the east and west, with Khalifa Haftar controlling the east and the Government of National Accord (GNA) controlling the west.
Both Haftar’s Libyan National Army and the GNA have recruited mercenaries from sub-Saharan Africa, including Chad and Sudan, while Russia’s Wagner Group (now Africa Corps) has also supplied mercenaries. The United Arab Emirates and Turkey have supplied weapons and equipment while Turkey has sent thousands of Syrians to fight for Tripoli-based forces in Libya.
As far back as June 2020, a UN Working Group on the use of mercenaries warned that reliance on mercenaries and related actors since 2019 had contributed to escalation of the conflict in Libya and undermined the peace process, which was a breach of the existing arms embargo imposed by the UN Security Council.
The discovery of the alleged training camp raises questions about South Africa’s border and national security, as it comes days after the US Treasury Department announced sanctions against two alleged Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) agents in South Africa. The two in South Africa are Abubakar Swalleh, described as a “South Africa- and Zambia-based ISIS operative”, and Zayd Gangat, “a South Africa-based ISIS facilitator and trainer”.
Also this week, police discovered a massive drug lab in Groblersdal where chemicals worth R2 billion were seized in one of South Africa’s largest ever drug busts. Five suspects, including Mexican nationals, were apprehended in an intelligence-driven operation. It is believed the lab was making crystal meth.
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