In a arrangement that lays bare the moral arithmetic of modern statecraft, the European Union has formalized its dependence on Libyan General Khalifa Haftar — a warlord whose detention camps are documented sites of torture — paying him in equipment, training, and political legitimacy to keep migrants from reaching European shores. Der Spiegel's investigation reveals not a hidden scandal but an acknowledged transaction: Brussels knows it is being blackmailed, names it as such in internal communications, and proceeds regardless. It is a moment that asks what a union of liberal democracies become
EU funds Haftar's Libya forces to stem migration despite documented rights abuses
Thousands of migrants are detained in Haftar-controlled camps where they face systematic torture, abuse, and extortion for ransom before attempting sea crossings to Europe.