Turkey threatens targeting Al Jufrah Airbase central Libya

CAIRO – 6 July 2020: The communication office of the Turkish presidency declared Monday Al Jufrah Airbase a military target of the country's forces stationed in Libya pointing out that Sirte is a key city given it is the portal to Libyan oil resources.

The statement comes one day after several "unknown aircraft" launched nine strikes against Oqba Bin Nafea Airbase located in Al Watiyah controlled by the Government of National Accord (GNA) and Turkey. The outcome was the destruction of Hawk air defense systems, and a Koral electronic warfare system as well as the killing of a Turkish commander, and six officers as the operations room they were in was hit.

It is noted that Egypt's President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi warned militias hired by the GNA against advancing towards Sirte and Al Jufrah describing them as a "red line." The president stressed that if such line is crossed, Egypt's "direct intervention" will be legitimate as it is demanded by the elected House of Representatives and local tribes.

Another reason is that the acts of the GNA and Turkey are prohibited by UN Security Council Resolutions and Berlin Conference providing that all foreign powers shall refrain from intervening in Libya and supplying arms to armed groups.

It is noted that in May the GNA captured Al Watiyah, and Tarhouna, which was the last stronghold of the Libyan National Army western Libya. Sirte, which lies in central Libya, was restored by the LNA in January one month after the GNA and Turkey signed two MoUs on defense and gas drilling eastern the Mediterranean.

As a consequence, Turkey transported into Libya 15,000 Syrian mercenaries and sent 1,500 Turkish officers and experts to co-command militias' operations rooms.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Resources (SOHR) reported that Turkey is still training Syrian militants on its lands and transferring them to Libya, despite the return of 3,200 to Syria.

The observatory revealed that around 300 Syrian mercenaries aged between 14 and 18 in Libya, and around 432 Syrian militants were killed in confrontations with the LNA, including 30 minors and leaders.

SOHR also reported that 400 Syrian mercenaries left Libya, and illegally entered European countries through Italy.
 

The LNA has downed around 70 drones mostly piloted from Mitiga Airbase in Tripoli and used to target concentrations of the Libyan Armed Forces. In the same context context, Turkey contemplates establishing a Turkish airbase in Al Watiyah, lying 30 kilometers from Libyan-Tunisian borders, and a naval one in Misrata.  

Libyan military sources told Youm7 Monday that the LNA is reinforcing its defenses in Sirte and Al Jufrah to repel any attempts by the GNA or "mercenaries" to advance. The LNA installed advanced air defense systems in both towns as military reinforcements have reached militias eastern Misrata within a plan to move towards Sirte.