Serbia: Reactions to the Story of Serbian Mercenaries in Libya
Serbian daily 'Alo' carries an image of Serbian mercenaries in Libya.
Update (28 February, 2011):
Two days after Global Voices published this story, the Serbian Ministry of Defence issued a statement on 25 February, 2011, denying Serbian military involvement to the Libyan civil unrest. Quoted in Reuters, the Defence Minister said,
“No active or retired Serbian military personnel were involved in the events in Libya and we deny all such media reports.”
However Libyan anti-government website Libya al Youm reported on 27 February, 2011, that Serbian radio station BIR had reported airplanes from the Serbian Republic carrying mercenaries to suppress demonstrators in Libya.
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According to a Maltese blog Malta CC, Serbian military pilots reportedly took part in the bombing of protesters in the Libyan cities of Tripoli and Benghazi. This claim was made public after two Libyan pilots fled to Malta, refusing to bomb their fellow citizens participating in the Libya uprising.
Serbian daily Alo reminded readers that Muammar al-Gaddafi had hired Serbian pilots before: in the 90s, in combat operations against radical Islamists, but also in actions against civilians, in support of the ground forces.
In the same article, Alo revealed that Serbian mercenaries were allegedly killing protesters in the streets of Tripoli and Benghazi:
Serbian mercenaries earn tens of thousands dollars for this job… They come from Serbia, but Bosnian and Croatian agencies are involved in recruiting for this kind of work…”Serbian legionnaires” are veterans of the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia. In addition to former members of the military and police units, the bulk of these forces are the former [“Red Berets“]… Gaddafi pays them as much as they demand! A good number of them had great-paying jobs in various African countries, but this was an offer not to be rejected. It can be expected that in the near future a lot of our contractors go with Gaddafi, who has great confidence in Serbian soldiers.
It appears that Serbian netizens are not too surprised by these allegations and revelations. Krstarica forum is one of the venues rich in debate.
Reg writes:
No wonder, people. Professionals are doing everything for money… No emotions, no morals… Kill for the one who offered more. In the wars in the former Yugoslavia they cooperated with the Croats, Muslims, why now would not work for Gaddafi. It doesn't matter to them at all who the boss is.
Sicilian writes:
It is OK! Gaddafi has always been on the Serbian side…
Soko observes:
It seems that he believes the Serbs most… Libya has not recognized Kosovo, yet another reason to support Gaddafi.
Neca 1977 asks:
How do I apply for Gaddafi's mercenaries?
Mika Egzekutor observes:
Bosniaks and Croats are today finding jobs for those who were shooting them yesterday.
Paja 1408, a Serbian military officer, recalls:
Hey, gentlemen, what is strange about it? I know personally, when I was in military schools, there were also Libyans, Iraqis, Zambians, Palestinians… I know that they were in Russian [military] schools also. Gaddafi's military experts appreciated the school in Yugoslavia… He knew to recruit the best ones to join the Libyan army… Many were coming to help Libyans under special contracts… […] Personally, I have had an offer to go there, and I know many colleagues who went…
Visitors on an ultra-right, white power forum “Stormfront” also spoke of the alleged involvement of the Serbian “dogs of war” in Libya.
Iraklija says:
Here are a few things that I've heard from a person who served in the Foreign Legion and later as a solo mercenary. Here is what you get if you're a mercenary in Libya:
1. $10,000-$20,000 monthly in cash
2. Citizenship
3. Wife and prostitutes
4. Gold medals
5. An opportunity to work at Gaddafi's security sector or for security of a Gaddafi family member
37 comments
Let lay down the facts first.
1.Serbs DON”T have Su-24 which is hard to flay because of wing geometry.
2.If they are fighting with Ghadafy Gov, it is still legit gov..not like those on side of “rebels” who came from Mauritania, SAS, Dutch marines,( 2 helicopters )….right) I mean they are named diplomats )
3.If you see “rebel” like in Kosovo with Stinger missile launches it didn’t came from Wall-Mart o Grocery store…It cam from same place like in Afghanistan.
4. before you blame Serbs why don’t you check reports of Harvesting organs in Kosovo from kidnapped 3000 Serbs and others by your Albanian friends…not in news…let me guess why
5.AK-47 own by Libyan army,, and rebels are not Serbian but Rumanian ( poor quality as you can see )
anyting else…and yes they wiil kick they asses !
@Nikkolas, how can you say that Gaddafi’s regime is legitimate while the whole Libyan population is against him? How can you support a dictator who’s using the national army to suppress the civilian protests?!?
Now, the whole world know that he didn’t give a jot to the UNSC resolution 1970,1973 that aimed to protect the Libyan people, and that’s why the British, the French and the Americans start bombarding Gaddafi to make him understand that Libyans are also humans.
R.I.P for your Serbian mercenaries and God bless democracy and human rights.
How do I apply for Gaddafi’s mercenaries?
money makes the world go round…
“R.I.P for your Serbian mercenaries and God bless democracy and human rights.”
my friend the price for US democracy is not calculated in humanity.
its calculated in US Dollars per gallon.
Where ever you see conflict, you will see the US democracy forces.
They promise everything, but they take everything.
They make every regime that is not supporting them evil.
They pay to make a revolution in a country.
example:
Why not open war against Columbia, Ecuador…
They produce drugs, and sell it to Americans.
Why did they not do something Human.
For The World?
I will tall you why.
There is no profit when you stop the drug production.
There will no be profit if there is no war.
The dogs of war are the product of the war.
im sure there are American & France mercioneris too..
making money…
First of all I nothing but contempt for Western media demonization of the Serbs for the last 21 years.Any group that resists American corporate domination of land and resources has my full support.How many mercinaries from French to Dutch to German,British and Muslim fighters were targeted against Serbian civillians in the 90s?
It is amazing to see the utter hypocrisy and hubris in Western media and military actions.This is about profit,oil and establishing corporate control over Lybian resources.The same MO was played out in Kosovo-Metohija,Iraq,Afghanistan,South America and other regions in Africa.Money talks and old scores have not been settled.