Libya Vows Response After ‘Foreign Air Force’ Attacks Base

Turkish DM, military chief visit Libya after incident

Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) has issued a statement after an overnight air raid on Saturday against one of their airbases, promising a response and blaming a “foreign air force” that they have yet to identify.

The airbase had recently been recovered by the GNA from the rebel LNA, and the GNA has been letting the Turkish military use it as part of the ongoing campaign against the LNA.

Turkey has responded to attacks on the base and has sent both their Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and their military chief of staff to Libya to speak with GNA leader Fayez al-Sarraj. Turkey is the primary ally of the GNA.

The real question is who attacked, and while it is likely an LNA ally, the group has enough such allies that it could be one of many nations. Major powers likely to get involved would be the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, both heavy supporters of the LNA.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.