Democrats call on Trump to sanction Libyan warlord Khalifa Hifter

Democrats are calling for sanctions on Libyan warlord Khalifa Hifter amid concerns that the Donald Trump administration has been too soft on him as he continues his monthslong assault on Tripoli.

Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., called on the Trump administration to sanction Hifter under a 2017 Russia sanctions law due to the support his militias receive from the Wagner Group, a mercenary firm with strong ties to the Kremlin. 

The Wagner Group has been designated under the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA) “and they’re clearly in business with Hifter,” Murphy told Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker at a Senate hearing on Libya today.

Murphy also sent a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo today asking for a “comprehensive summary” of US efforts to counter Russian influence in Libya and a “detailed analysis” of the relationship between Hifter and the Wagner Group. The letter also inquires as to whether that relationship could trigger mandatory sanctions under CAATSA, “which mandates secondary sanctions on those who conduct significant transactions with the Russian defense and intelligence sectors.”