The Pentagon accused Moscow on Tuesday of dispatching fighter jets to Libya to bolster Kremlin-linked mercenaries helping an eastern warlord, a move that would represent a significant expansion of Russia’s role in the escalating proxy war. In a strongly-worded statement, the U.S. Africa Command said the jets were flown from an airbase in Russia first to Syria, where they were “repainted to camouflage their Russian origin.” According to Libyan officials, diplomats and analysts, the jets were then sent to eastern Libya, arriving last week at a base controlled by commander Khalifa Hifter, who launched an offensive on the capital Tripoli last year. The aircraft, the statement said, are “likely to provide close air support and offensive […]