Haftar forces say they hit pro-govt airbase in Libya
Forces loyal to Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar said they launched air strikes early yesterday against an airbase in third city Misrata held by government loyalists.
“Our air force carried out several raids against the Misrata airbase, targeting anti-air defences as well as a Turkish aircraft transporting ammunition, drones and missiles,” Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army said in a statement on its Facebook page.
Pro-Haftar television channel Libya Al-Hadath said a Turkish Ilyushin aircraft “was destroyed as it landed at the Misrata base”.
It aired footage, which could not be independently verified, of the alleged strikes.
Forces loyal to the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) did not immediately confirm or deny the reported attack.
Haftar forces launched an offensive in April to wrest Tripoli from the GNA.
Many of the government’s best equipped and most seasoned fighters come from Misrata, which is east of the Libyan capital.
Turkey and Qatar have been the main supporters of the GNA government, while Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have backed Haftar.
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