By Ajnadin Mustafa.
Tripoli, 9 November 2014:
A plane carrying food aid to the south western town of Ghat was temporarily seized . . .[restrict]today by Misrata’s Third Force amid allegations that that it was ferrying arms from the UAE to anti-Libya Dawn forces in the area.
A source in Ghat told the Libya Herald that the plane, with its Ukrainian crew, had been detained after it flew to the town from Tobruk. However, it had finally been released and allowed to fly out after local officials persuaded the Misratans to let it go. The source claimed that it did not manage to unload all its cargo before it left.
The town has been cut off and without supplies for over a week because of the road to Obari being closed as a result of military operations in the area by the Misratan Third Force. On Tuesday, an appeal for aid was made by local elders who declared the town a disaster area. They reportedly claimed that the Hassi regime in Tripoli had promised aid if they would recognise it, but had refused to do so.
There are conflicting reports as to whether the plane and its contents were sent by the House of Representatives or by the UAE following an HoR request.
The allegations about gun running mirror those in September when Sudan was accused of sending weapons to Libya Dawn following the arrival of an aircraft with arms aboard in Kufra. [/restrict]
