LNA Air Forces Commander: It's our duty to keep Libyan airports safe

CAIRO - 9 April 2019: The Commander of the Libyan Air Forces operation room at the Libyan National Army (LNA) Maj. Gen. Mohamed Al-Manfour released a report Tuesday after warplanes strike Mitiga International Airport.

Below is the statement by the commander:

"The militias that govern Tripoli had opted the use of Mitiga airport as a safe heaven and used it and still using it for military purposes that continue to treat the safety of the civilian operations to and from this airport.

LNAAF had tried with all possible means to prevent the militias from utilizing the Libyan air space and airports and to avoid using it in the current fighting at Tripoli suburbs between LNA and militias controlling Tripoli.

It came to our knowledge that the militias are forcing technicians to rectify a fighter jet in order to use it against our forces and that they recruited foreign pilots after the Libyan pilots refussed using those fighter jets against their own army.

That said, We had no option but to send them precautionary message that we can reach, stop and prevent them from using the airport in any military activities.

I would also stress that its within our duties to keep the Libyan airspace and the Libyan airports safe for civilian operations and we hereby call upon Libyan civilian flight operators to continue their normal opertaion to and from Mitiga airport."