On Tuesday, the Libyan National Army (LNA) announced that its air defense had shot down four Turkish drones over the cities of Tripoli and Misrata. This comes in addition to a drone reportedly being shot down over southern Tripoli the previous day, after taking off from Mitiga International Airport.
According to the LNA, a Turkish air base and flight control room used for UAV attacks based in Misrata was destroyed during the same operation and a number of Turkish military officers and advisors were killed in air strikes on Misrata Airforce Academy.
The LNA accuses Ankara of providing significant military support to armed groups aligned with the Government of National Accord (GNA) by sending them weapons, military advisers, soldiers and fighters from Syria.
On March 1st, the LNA claimed that a total of 16 Turkish soldiers had been killed since their deployment to Libya earlier this year, and that a Turkish cargo ship carrying arms and ammunition had been destroyed.
One of the most critical weapons used by GNA forces in their battles against the LNA are drones. It is believed that the Libyan Army had shot down six Turkish planes operating in the capital, Tripoli, in late February.
