Misrata has recruited new mercenaries for its air force

Forces loyal to the Libyan renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar claim foreign mercenaries are being recruited to bolster the air power of rival fighters in the city of Misrata. Colonel Ahmed Almesmari, of Haftar's Libyan National Army, said this week that the 11 mercenaries had entered the city, including "nine jet technicians from Ecuador, one Ukrainian pilot, one missile expert from Georgia".

A source close to the international mission in Libya, who asked to remain anonymous, also confirmed this to Middle East Eye. Almesmari told MEE that the Libyan National Army (LNA) was "not in a stage to comment further". "In case we decide to announce detailed info, it will be on our official outlets," he added.

The mercenaries were reported by MEE's source to have entered the cities of Misrata and Mitiga. The hiring of mercenaries would break UN resolutions on arms control in Libya.

Libyan militia building mercenary air force, rivals claim

"Libyan airstrikes" situation update 21 - 27 May 2016

On 20th May 2016, in an interview for the French channel I-Tele, general Haftar, head of the Libyan National Army, asked the dismantling of the Government of National Accord (GNA) forces as a prerequisite for a possible rapprochement in the fight against the Islamic State group : "An army can not unite to militias. So these militias must be dismantled. It is unthinkable for us to work with these armed factions". He added : "We are not facing Daech for seize the oil. When we fought at Derna, there was no oil. When we fought in Benghazi, there was no oil either. A Adjabiya, it was the same, there was no oil. But actually in Libya, there are huge resources that the Libyan people will benefit after the return to calm."

"Libyan airstrikes" situation update 14 - 20 May 2016

On 16th May 2016, the five permanent members of the UN Security Council expressed their willingness to discontinue the arms embargo in favor of the Government of National Accord (GNA) to fight IS (Isalmic State). The next day, GNA through the Deputy Prime Minister Musa al-Kony has asked for planes and helicopters. This embargo is in effect since the beginning of the Libyan uprising via resolution 1970 adopted by the Security Council on 26th February  2011. It covers the arms and related material of all types - weapons and ammunition, military vehicles and equipment, equipment paramilitary and related spare parts (an exclusion applies to non-lethal equipment, technical assistance, training or financial support for the government of Libya through resolution 2009 of 16th September 2011 and the resolution of 2095 of 14th March 2013).

"Libyan airstrikes" situation update 30 April - 6 May 2016

This week, aerial operations were characterized by two majors events : the first flights of the two MiG-23BNs refurbished by engineers and mechanicians of the LNA (Libyan National Army) Air Force and the bombing by LD (Libya Dawn) Air Force MiG-23MLDs of LNA forces near Zillah.

Airstrikes against ISIS in Sirte and Bin Jawad were carried out by Libyan aircrafts, not French

On Sunday, January 10th 2016, unidentified aircrafts carried out airstrikes against Islamique State position in Sirte and Bin Jawad. The Libyan National Army (LNA) claimed that these fighter jets flew from France, but French Ministry of Defense denied this information. In fact, these bombings were provided by airplanes that took off from Misrata Air Force Academy. This airbase is in the hands of Libya Dawn (or Fajr Libya) Air Force. Aircrafts involved were the two Mig-23MLDs in service in Tripoli government side. Beginning December 2014, a group of Ukrainian technicians from Odessa ARZ restored these two Floggers. Libya Dawn also managed to get a few R-24s (AA-7 "Apex") and R-60s (AA-8 "Aphid") missiles back to operational condition for their Mig-23MLDs. The "Libya Dawn Air Force" has two Mirage F1EDs, five G-2 Galebs, one J-21 Jastreb, two Mig-23MLDs, six SF-260 and one Mi-35 operational.

The photo below taken on Sunday, show one of the two Mig-23MLDs carrying one OFAB-250 unguided bomb with these words written on it : "Operation on behalf of martyrdom al Zliten".