Russian fighters in Libya were flow out a town south of Tripoli by their Libyan allies after retreating from frontlines at the capital, the town's mayor said.
The reported departure of the Russians is another blow to the Libya National Army (LNA) of eastern Libyan military leader Khalifa Haftar, and his foreign allies.
The Russian fighters allied to the LNA retreated with their heavy equipment from the capital to the airport of Bani Walid, a town some 150 km (93 miles) southeast of Tripoli, said Salem Alaywan, Bani Walid's mayor.
He told Reuters the Russians had now been flown out of western Libya to Jufra, a remote central district and LNA stronghold.
They (the Russians) were flown in three military planes to Jufra and their military vehicles were driven there," he said.
LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari denied any foreigners were fighting with his force. But the Russians' presence has been widely documented by diplomats and journalists. Pictures purportedly showing Russians, some sitting on trucks, in Bani Walid were posted on social media.
"The withdrawal (of the Russians) from the greater Tripoli area is a very meaningful event because it deprives the LNA of its most effective, best-equipped foreign fighting forces on that key front," said Jalel Harchaoui, research fellow at the Clingendael Institute said.
The GNA has deployed Syrian fighters allied to Turkey, while Haftar is also using Sudanese. The LNA still holds the town of Tarhouna south of Tripoli with the help of a local armed group.
The reported departure of the Russians is another blow to Khalifa Haftar's Libya National Army (LNA).
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