The Libyan National Army (LNA) launched late on January 8 a series of airstrikes on forces loyal to the Government of National Accord (GNA), despite ongoing international effort to de-escalate the tension in the country.
According to several Libyan sources, warplanes supporting the LNA targeted GNA positions and equipment in the city of Misrata, the towns of Qurayn and Tawergha as well as in the capital, Tripoli.
ضربات نسور الجوي العربي الليبي
علي ملشيات اولاد شحيبر في مصراته#ليبيا_مقبرة_العثمانين pic.twitter.com/5Q8DLGqV2t— Anis Abdalgawad (@AnisAbdalgawad) January 8, 2020
فيديوا يوضح قصف سلاح الجو تمركزات المليشيات بمنطقة #ابوقرين . pic.twitter.com/8jYPY348xY
— غصة الخوارج (@LiBya_73) January 8, 2020
#BREAKING: #Libya National Air Force carried-out a successful airstrike at a #Turkish Army engineering unit in Banana residential complex area in #Tripoli. They are constructing a runway S of #Mitiga airport to be used by #Turkish Bayraktar TB2 armed drones of #GNA against #LNA! pic.twitter.com/I0qfgsdL0g
— Babak Taghvaee (@BabakTaghvaee) January 8, 2020
Several videos of the airstrikes show that precision-guided munitions were used. This suggests that combat drones of the UAE, a key backer of the LNA, were behind the airstrikes.
The airstrikes came amid international efforts to de-escalate the situation in Libya. Presidents of Russia and Turkey called for a ceasefire following a summit in Ankara. Algeria is also promoting a ceasefire initiative, according to several sources.
LNA Commander-in-Chief Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar still has an opportunity to go on with the “decisive” attack he launched on Tripoli last December. The ceasefire regime promoted by Turkey and Russia is expected to belaunched on January 12.
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The LNA are best to keep pushing. The GNA will never share power and will only conspire with the western forces that invaded the country and placed them in power.
I would guess that most Libyan’s are glad to see the green flag flying once more in their country. The Commander-in-Chief has the backing of the Libyan people who clearly want to move on. Let’s hope he can restore Libya and its prospects.