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Confusion surrounds the intelligence which led to the arrest of 95 Libyans at a military training camp in South Africa.
Government officials claim that the country’s intelligence officers were responsible for the raid on the camp in White River in the Mpumalanga province, but National Security News has learned that the arrests were due to a tip-off from the United States.
Kobus Marais, a former shadow minister of the opposition Democratic Alliance, suspects that this situation mirrors a previous incident where the U.S. warned South Africa about allegedly selling weapons to Russia, which involved the Lady R ship docking in Simon’s Town and caused a diplomatic furore.
Marais said, he suspects that South Africa’s intelligence service knew about the military training taking place at Milites Dei, the South Africa security training academy where the Libyans were arrested and that the arrests follow pressure from the United States.
Security officers raided the farm in an area close to the Kruger National Park and Mozambique border. Upon arrival, South African Police Services (SAPS) detectives found Libyans housed in military tents with military training equipment and licensed firearms, according to a police statement.
“During the takedown operation, police also found dagga (marijuana) and cocaine. Some of the other drugs found in their possession are being sent to the SAPS Forensic Science Laboratory in Pretoria to identify them as illegal substances,” according to the National Commissioner of the South African Police Service (SAPS), General Fannie Masemola.
The country’s Home Affairs Minister, Dr Leon Schreiber, said the Libyans acquired their visas through misrepresentation in Tunis, Tunisia, claiming they were entering South Africa to train as security guards. They will appear in court today, facing charges relating to the contravention of the Immigration Act.
Connection to Libya’s Gen Khalifa Haftar, Wagner and Irish company
A Saudi-based TV channel, Al-Arabiya Al-Haddath, reported that the Libyans arrested in South Africa were part of the Tariq bin Ziyad Brigade affiliated to a Libyan military strongman General Khalifa Haftar. Haftar has been a close ally of the private Russian military group Wagner.
The report suggests the Libyans were sent by the General Command of Al-Rajma in official coordination with an Irish security company for training as special forces. The Irish training company, Irish Training Solutions (ITS) is co-owned by Danny Cluskey a former member of the Irish Defence forces according to an exposé from the Irish Times, and is training the 166 Infantry Brigade of the self-styled Libyan National Army of Haftar.
The Libya Observer noted that Haftar’s close associate, Osama Hammad, was following up on the conditions of the 95 detainees in South Africa and would provide them with legal support. The Tripoli government said it had instructed its embassy to communicate with the authorities in South Africa to follow up on the details of the case and to uncover the circumstances of the arrests.
According to the South African Police services the academy in White River where the arrests were made, Milites Dei Academy had distinctive characteristics of a facility for security training and military training.
On its website, Milites Dei (MDSS) advertises itself as “an academy specialising in military training style Learning Programs and accredited qualifications such as specialist operative and other training in South Africa.” Several videos are posted on its Facebook page.
Here is a video of the training offered at the alleged illegal military camp in Mpumalanga, where 95 Libyans have been arrested.
— Aldrin Sampear (@AldrinSampear) July 27, 2024
The company is registered with Private Security Industry Regulatory Authority.
Home Affairs says the 95’s visas have been cancelled due to… pic.twitter.com/mT0neWrSDE
Bardo Buys, a South African who is the Director and Owner of Milites Dei did not answer his phone when NSN contacted him for comment.
South Africa’s border security under scrutiny after 95 Libyans arrest
The arrest of 95 Libyans at a suspected military training base in the Mpumalanga province in South Africa has raised questions about South Africa’s national security and border patrols.
It comes just days after the United States announced Treasury sanctions against two Islamic State agents in South Africa who have “used robbery, extortion and kidnap-for-ransom operations to generate funds for the group.” The ISIS agents, the U.S. said, serve as key financiers and trusted operatives that enable the activities of ISIS and ISIS leaders in Central, Eastern and Southern Africa, and that they also have links with other ISIS group, including ISIS cells in South Africa.
