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South African police arrest Libyans in ‘illegal’ military camp

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The men have been arrested and are being questioned (Athlenda Mathe/SA Police)

Ninety-five Libyan nationals have been arrested on suspicion of undergoing training at an “illegal” military camp in South Africa, police said.

Officers raided the location on Friday after receiving information two days earlier.

The camp was located on a farm near White River, a small town in the northern province of Mpumalanga.

According to Athlenda Mathe, spokesperson for the national police, the Libyans “misrepresented themselves” on their visa applications by saying they were training to be security guards.

“We take any threat to the security and stability of our province and our country extremely seriously,” Police Chief Zeph Mkhwanazi said in a police statement.

However, the same statement assured the public that there was “no immediate threat to the safety of the community.”

The 95 Libyan nationals have been arrested and are being questioned by the competent authorities.

Police have not disclosed from whom the detainees may have received military training.

More BBC stories from South Africa:

(Getty Images/BBC)

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