Haftar forces bombard rivals after Libya airbase attack

Forces loyal to Libyan military strongman Khalifa Haftar have bombed rival forces in retaliation for a deadly attack on an airbase in the south of the country, media reported yesterday. “Warplanes launched air strikes overnight Saturday as part of the Martyrs of Brak alShati operation,” the LANA news agency said in reference to the airbase where at least 141 people, mostly forces loyal to Haftar, were killed on Thursday.

LANA, which is loyal to authorities based in eastern Libya, said MIG-23 jets carried out seven air strikes, targeting “terrorists in Hun and Jufra”, two areas in southern Libya. The agency, quoting Colonel Mohammad al-Manfour of the pro-Haftar Benina airbase in Benghazi, said “several weapons depots, vehicles and centers of operations” were destroyed. On Thursday, members of the Third Force militia loyal to the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli attacked the base used by Haftar’s self-proclaimed Libyan National Army (LNA).

Pro-Haftar forces said on Friday the victims included civilians who worked at the Brak al-Shati airbase or were in the nearby area, adding that summary executions took place. LNA spokesman Ahmad al-Mesmari said the soldiers were returning from a military parade unarmed, and that most of them were executed. Yesterday, Human Rights Watch said in a statement forces aligned with the GNA “allegedly executed at least 30 captured soldiers”.