No Result
View All Result
Friday, July 4, 2025
23 °c
Tripoli
24 ° Sat
24 ° Sun
  • Advertising
  • Contact
LibyaHerald
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
SUBSCRIBE
  • Home
  • Libya
  • Business
  • Opinion
  • Magazine
  • Advertising
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
LibyaHerald
No Result
View All Result
Home Libya

LNA admit loss of MIG jet fighter, claim progress on all fighting fronts, accuse Tripoli of harbouring terrorists

bySami Zaptia
April 16, 2019
Reading Time: 3 mins read
A A

LBy Sami Zaptia.

London, 15 April 2019:

Giving a round-up of fighting operations in Libya’s western region at a press conference yesterday, Major General Ahmed Al-Mesmari, the official spokesperson for the Libyan National Army (LNA) claimed that the LNA (and its allied forces) had ”some very successful” Air Force operations in Tripoli’s Kremia, oil tanks, and east of Tripoli areas targeting ‘‘militias and terrorist groups’’.

He claimed that their ground forces are ‘‘moving in seven axes’’ and are ‘‘approaching the centre of the capital Tripoli, especially through the Ain Zara axis’’. He claimed that ‘‘So far we have not registered any humanitarian breaches by our forces’’.

He said that ‘‘Good progress is being made in Salah Al-Deen and Kremia axes.Battles are ongoing around the clock with no stop. We expect in the coming few hours that there will be an eighth axis’’.

RELATED POSTS

UNSMIL expresses concern over mobilisation of forces by Hafter and anti-Hafter forces

UNSMIL statement on unified Derna reconstruction process receives support from leading states

”Land operations are focused on destroying the enemy outside the capital Tripoli and targeting vehicles and armoured vehicles while also reducing the numbers of enemy combatants. The General Commander is very pleased with the wise command of this battle’’.

Mesmari said that ‘‘operations were attacked by air raids taking off from Misrata piloted by mercenary pilots who bombed a house and a company which caused the death of a family and three workers. The battle is in full effect, land, air and sea’, he explained.

He admitted his forces had ‘‘lost one of our fighter jets, a MiG-23, after the pilot lost control. The fighter jet could have been hit by a missile, but the hit might not be direct. The pilot Col. Jamal Ben Amer decided to eject because there were not any nearby airports’’.

He said his forces had received intelligence that ‘‘ (Tripoli) militias are capturing African workers and dressing them in military attire then showing them on media outlets as LNA fighters’’.

On the split in the city of Zintan, he said that ‘‘After the elders form the city of Zintan repudiated any who fight against the LNA, Osama Juwaily takes another route and abandons Zintan’s youth’’.

Juwaily a Zinani and former Minister of Defence in 2012 has aligned with the Tripoli Serraj side, splitting his city Zintan, but also weakening Hafter’s war effort. Some analysts say Hafter had calculated on Juwaily fighting on his side and has contributed to Hafter’s failure to penetrate Tripoli.

Mesmari went on to accuse Juwaily of trying to ‘‘contract (for) 350 mercenaries from Klenja, Chad to come through Al-Hameda area through Al-wadi Al-Ahamar. These mercenaries will be supplied by terrorist and human traffickers. We are tracking (other) terrorists who are based in Wadi Marset and working under Osama Juwaily who are committing highway robberies and stealing fuel trucks’’.

Mesmari then went on to claim connections between terrorists in Libya to Europe of well-known terrorist attacks that happened in three European cities: Paris, Berlin and Manchester.

He claimed documented connections between the ‘‘government controlling Tripoli’’ and ‘‘terrorists in Europe’’ and various other countries. He claimed CIA leaked documents show ‘‘undeniable evidence that Al-Qaeda has been in control of Tripoli since 2011.This included ‘‘an official within the Ministry of Justice controlling prisons for seven years’’.

He also claimed that the ‘‘British Secret Intelligence Service found out that the terrorist who committed the Manchester attack has received the command to commit the attack from Al- Qaeda organization in Tripoli’’.

He also said that German newspaper Die Zeit published a report confirming that the German Federal Intelligence Service has established links between a terrorist who committed the terrorist attack in Berlin, to terrorist groups in Libya.

He said that ‘‘unmanned drones spying on LNA forces and supplying militias and terrorist groups with intelligence’’ and that there are ‘‘foreign fighters fighting with the militias and terrorist groups in the capital Tripoli’’.

Mesmari said that they place these facts in front of Libyans and the world and that they were documenting everything that is happening on the ground.

‘‘The time for the national battle is over we are now in an international battle. We are fighting to defend the world and stop the spread of terrorism’’, he concluded.

Tags: Khalifa HafterLNA Libyan National ArmyLNA spokesmann colonel Ahmed MesmariOsama JuwailyTripoli fighting

Related Posts

Libya Herald exclusive: Responding to the prime minister’s call yesterday to the private sector and banks to do more, leading businessman Husni Bey responds
Business

Op-Ed: Reputational Damage Is Worse Than Losing Money

July 2, 2025
Libyan Russian Economic Forum starts in St. Petersburg
Libya

Libyan Russian Economic Forum starts in St. Petersburg

June 27, 2025
MoI establishes Elections Security and Protection Department
Libya

Aldabaiba and Menfi stress use of polling feedback to establish consensus basis for constitutional process: report and analysis

June 26, 2025
GNU to take oath at Benghazi HoR session and budget to be approved at Tripoli session: GNU
Libya

“There is no state built by gangs and criminality, it’s built by engineers, youth, consultants, security, police and army”: Aldabaiba

June 23, 2025
GNU to take oath at Benghazi HoR session and budget to be approved at Tripoli session: GNU
Libya

187 new security posts taken over from militias – PM declares victory for the state as all vital Tripoli sites come under its exclusive control for the first time since 2011

June 19, 2025
Interior Ministry’s Diplomatic Missions Protection personnel receiving training in Ukraine
Libya

The Interior Ministry had spent LD 50 billion in 13 years with no result: Acting Interior Minister Trabelsi

June 17, 2025
Next Post

Both sides in Tripoli fighting accuse opponents of bombing of civilian areas

Civilian casualties and displacement expected to increase due to continued use of air strikes and heavy artillery: UN report

Civilian casualties and displacement expected to increase due to continued use of air strikes and heavy artillery: UN report

ADVERTISEMENT

Top Stories

  • CBL goes public at last about the counterfeit LD 50 notes – notes to be withdrawn until end of August

    CBL reveals discovery of LD 3.5 billion in counterfeit 50-dinar notes printed in Russia – PM calls on Attorney General to open investigation

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Libyan Italian Forum concludes with the signing of 98 MoUs

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Op-Ed: Reputational Damage Is Worse Than Losing Money

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • Three Libyan companies win awards in Athens International Olive Oil Competition ‎

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
  • CBL demands imports are conducted through official banking instruments and the elimination of the FX black market

    0 shares
    Share 0 Tweet 0
ADVERTISEMENT
LibyaHerald

The Libya Herald first appeared on 17 February 2012 – the first anniversary of the Libyan Revolution. Since then, it has become a favourite go-to source on news about Libya, for many in Libya and around the world, regularly attracting millions of hits.

Recent News

A 247,000-bpd oil production increase would achieve US$ 6 billion annually to enhance ability to meet FX demand, maintain strength of LD and achieve economic balance: CBL ‎

Op-Ed: Reputational Damage Is Worse Than Losing Money

Sitemap

  • Why subscribe?
  • Terms & Conditions
  • FAQs
  • Copyright & Intellectual Property Rights
  • Subscribe now

Newsletters

    Be the first to know latest important news & events directly to your inbox.

    Sending ...

    By signing up, I agree to our TOS and Privacy Policy.

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    Welcome Back!

    Login to your account below

    Forgotten Password? Sign Up

    Create New Account!

    Fill the forms below to register

    *By registering into our website, you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy.
    All fields are required. Log In

    Retrieve your password

    Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

    Log In
    No Result
    View All Result
    • Login
    • Sign Up
    • Libya
    • Business
    • Advertising
    • About us
    • BusinessEye Magazine
    • Letters
    • Features
    • Why subscribe?
    • FAQs
    • Contact

    © 2022 LibyaHerald - Powered by Sparx Solutions.

    This website uses cookies. By continuing to use this website you are giving consent to cookies being used. Visit our Privacy and Cookie Policy.