Are private security firms following international law?

Private security contractor Erik Prince, a close ally of former US President Donald Trump, is under scrutiny over his role in Libya’s conflict.

A confidential United Nations report obtained by media outlets has alleged that Prince violated an arms embargo.

Al Jazeera has seen parts of the report, which says Prince sent foreign mercenaries and weapons to Libyan renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar in 2019.

At the time, Haftar was fighting to overthrow the internationally recognised government based in Tripoli.

Breaching the arms embargo could expose Prince – who is a staunch ally of Trump – to possible UN sanctions.

And the report raises many questions about the secretive world of private security firms.

So, are these private security firms accountable to anyone?

Presenter: Hashem Ahelbarra.

Guests:

Glenn Carle – A former deputy national intelligence officer for transnational threats at the CIA

Omar Ashour – Professor of strategic studies at the Doha Institute

Andreas Krieg – Assistant professor at King’s College London and author of Commercializing Cosmopolitan Security