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Western Forces Reportedly Operating in Libya Grand Central Times - March 30, 2020 Battles in the streets of Misrata are unfortunately common for the remaining residents of the town, with the city having been fought over numerous times by the warring factions of Libya’s ongoing civil war. But while the gunfire isn’t new, the participants appear to be. Reports from several witnesses in the city state that the most recent spate of violence involved several Westerners fighting with one of the rebel groups who hold a large portion of the town. When the shots died down, civilians in the area found a large group of rebel soldiers dead, and the town’s harbormaster missing. Interviews with two of the residents, have suggested that the harbormaster may have been involved in smuggling operations, but Grand Central Times has been unable to independently confirm these allegations. Pictured: Fighting in Misrata several days ago. The fighting across Libya has peaked in recent months as the UN-backed government dissolved into infighting over the failure to reach a deal on future elections. Rebel groups have taken advantage of the lack of authority to renew their attempts to carve out their own lands or fill the power vacuum for themselves. The reports of Westerners engaged in the fighting have raised concerns as to whether there is a foreign intervention underway in the failed state, or if this is a rise in the use of mercenaries in the civil war. Russian mercenaries have previously been confirmed operating in the region, but their actions have largely been limited to training and other second-line duties. Grand Central Times will continue to follow this story as it develops. By Archibald Wavell Grand Central Times