Jamal Shalouf, a Libyan researcher and the Head of the Silphium Foundation for Studies and Research, said that three Turkish military cargo planes, using tracking concealment techniques, have been monitored near Libyan airspace.
The three planes took off from the Turkish city of Isparta. According to Shalouf, the first plane had flight number Reg: 21-0118, and the second Reg: 18-0094. While another Airbus A400 flight, Flight Reg: 15-0051, had no call sign.
Shalouf claimed that the three planes are heading to western Libya, where the first flight is likely to land at the Air Force College in the city of Misrata. The second flight will land at Al-Watiya Air Base, and the destination of the third plane has not been specified.
Last month, the Italian website ItamilRadar, which specializes in monitoring military aircraft said it has monitored four Turkish military cargo flights heading to Libya within two days.
The site stated that it tracked two Turkish military cargo planes on Thursday. While it monitored two similar Lockheed C-130H Turkish military transport planes, belonging to the Turkish Air Force landing in Libya.
ItamilRadar pointed out that the first plane left Ankara and headed towards the Al-Watiya base, west of Tripoli. The second plane left for the same destination, from the Turkish city of Kayseri.
In September, a Turkish military Airbus A400M arrived at Al-Rutba Air Base. Meanwhile, another C130 aircraft also landed at Al-Watiya Air Base, coming from a Turkish military base, according to data published by Flightradar24.
Turkey continues to send military aircraft to Libya, with more than 10 planes landing at the Uqba bin Nafi Airbase in the Watiya region, in western Libya, in September.
Ankara signed a memorandum of understanding on security and military cooperation in November 2019 with Libya’s former Government of National Accord (GNA), headed by Fayez Al-Sarraj.
In June, the Turkish Parliament approved a motion to extend the mission of the Turkish troops in Libya for additional 18 months.