U.S. Senator Chris Murphy on Thursday introduced an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) directing the Trump administration to impose sanctions on Khalifa Haftar in response to Haftar’s military cooperation with the Russian military and the Wagner Group.

"I’m offering an amendment requiring the administration to use its existing authority to sanction Khalifa Haftar and target any assets he or his family may have in the United States as a way of diminishing Russia’s hand in Libya," said Murphy.

Meanwhile, the US State Department issued a statement Thursday saying that Haftar's affiliation with the Wagner Group is at odds with U.S. and Libyan interests, and undermines Libyan sovereignty.

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