Russian jets in Libya: Why Haftar's MiGs will 'change nothing' on the ground

A fleet of Russian-made fighter jets which have arrived in Libya in support of Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army forces are militarily “useless” and will “change nothing” on the ground, aviation analysts have told Middle East Eye.

Instead, the planes, which are probably piloted by mercenaries, have likely been deployed with Moscow’s approval in order to deter further Turkish-backed attacks on LNA forces.

At least six MiG-29 Fulcrum and two Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer fighter jets escorted by two Russian Air Force planes were reported last week to have landed in the North African country.

Fathi Bashaga, the interior minister for the internationally recognised Government of National Accord in Tripoli, told the Bloomberg news agency last Thursday that the GNA had information that the planes had arrived.

On the same day, a reliable source told MEE that a suspected “Syrian” Mig-29 was stationed at the Haftar-held airbase at al-Jufrah.

Meanwhile a satellite image taken of the base on 19 May appeared to show a MiG-29 on the facility’s taxiway, suggesting that the other seven planes were there as well

Read this analysis wriiten in collaboration with Jalel Harchaoui and Tom Cooper on Middle East Eye : Russian jets in Libya: Why Haftar's MiGs will 'change nothing' on the ground

Libyan National Army MiGs and helicopters blasted convoys attacking the Oil Crescent

On the night of Dec. 6 to 7, 2016, a convoy of around 150 vehicles left Al Jufrah in central Libya and headed toward the country’s sprawling Oil Crescent — specifically, its vital oil terminals. The various armed technicals belonged to the Saraya Defend Benghazi — also known as Benghazi Defense Brigade — an Islamist militia group that formed in June 2016 to oppose the dominant Libyan National Army and its popular leader Gen. Khalifa Haftar. The offensive came just a day after pro-government forces liberated the Islamic State stronghold of Sirte. Members of the Petroleum Facilities Guard — Ibrahim Jadhran’s own armed group — claimed to have joined the convoy, which split into two sections as it approached the Oil Crescent. Not long after, many of the vehicles were wrecked and in flames.

When Militants Attacked Libya’s Oil Region, Regime Aircraft Struck Back Hard

A Fierce Air War Over Libya’s Oil Fields Has Killed Innocent Civilians

While merciless - frequently intentional - bombardment by Assadist and Russian air forces in Syria, which is causing dozens of civilian casualties every day, is finally catching public attention in the West, there are now reports about similar attacks being flown in Libya too. Contrary to Syria, where it is crystal clear who is flying such air strikes, the situation in Libya is quite murky.

On 20 September 2016, unidentified aircraft struck a leisure park at Nina Agricultural Project in Sokna, in Al-Jufrah district, 200 kilometres (125 miles) south of Sirte, killing at least seven people and injuring up to twenty others. The two armed factions, the Libyan National Army (LNA) and militia forces affiliated to the Government of National Accord (GNA), denied involvement and accused each others of the strike.

A Fierce Air War Over Libya’s Oil Fields Has Killed Innocent Civilians

"Libyan airstrikes" situation update 19 - 30 September 2016

Two major events can be noticed during this period : the loss of Libyan National Army Air Force (LNA / AF) Mi-8T serial number '1432' (with three crew members and three passenger killed) and the death of civilian in an airstrike near al Jufrah by unidentified aircrafts.