On Monday, the Libyan National Army (LNA) announced the shooting down of a Turkish Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV), south of the capital Tripoli, Libya.
According to a statement issued by the Military Media Department, the air defense platforms of the LNA targeted a Turkish drone that had taken off from Mitiga International Airport.
The Libyan army, widely known as LNA, indicated in a statement, that Ankara continued to send weapons and military equipment from Turkey to the ports of Tripoli and Misrata, in support of the Government of National Accord (GNA) forces. Turkey reportedly provides significant military support to the GNA aligned forces through the sending of military advisers, soldiers, weapons, and fighters from Syria.
One of the most essential weapons used by the GNA in the battles against the LNA is the use of drones. Sources revealed to “Sky News Arabia” that the LNA had shot down six Turkish drones operating in the capital, Tripoli, in late February.
On March 21st, the Libyan National Army spokesman, Major General Ahmed Al-Mismari, claimed that “we announce to you that the valiant Libyan National Army forces have managed, thank God, to purify the areas of Al-Asa, Al-Jameel and Zultun, from the control of the GNA militias and its Syrian mercenaries.”
A large number of Turkish drones have been shot down by the LNA over the past months.
This comes as LNA forces, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, are a mere kilometres away from the land border crossing of Ra’s Ajdir between Libya and Tunisia that is currently controlled by the GNA.