Tripoli, 19 December:
Libyan warplanes are currently sweeping the areas along Libya’s southern borders, the military commander in Kufra Colonel Miftah Al-Abdali . . .[restrict]told the Libyan news agency today.
Al-Abdali said that the planes are carrying out sweeps from Libya’s border with Chad to Al-Uwaynat and Jabal Al-Malik, on the Egyptian border.
He added that the army is in control of these areas and that the purpose of the air operations was to secure the borders and to stop people crossing the borders into Libya illegally.
The colonel confirmed that the operations he is directing are a part of the resolution passed by the General National Congress on Sunday declaring the south a closed military zone and temporarily closing border crossings with Sudan, Algeria, Chad and Niger.
Jet fighters from the Libyan air force struck a camp being used by suspected smugglers yesterday, the Libya Herald reported, although it is not clear if there were any casualties in the attack.
Last week, Prime Minister Ali Zeidan said that did not use official border posts to cross into Libya from neighbouring states would be “dealt with” by the armed forces. [/restrict]
