UAE airstrikes kill 2 Libyan Army soldiers

MISRATA, Libya

Two Libyan Army soldiers were killed on Friday in an airstrike by a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-made drone in northwestern Libya, according to an army spokesman.

The UAE drone attacked Libyan army units along the Abu Qurayn front in Misrata province, Mustafa al-Majei, a spokesman for the Burkan Al-Ghadab (Volcano of Rage) Operation, told Anadolu Agency.

The UAE is one of several countries – along with Egypt and Russia – that have supported the militias of warlord Khalifa Haftar against Libya’s government.

The attack came after the Libyan Army this week announced the complete liberation of the capital Tripoli along with the strategic city of Tarhuna from Haftar militias.

In March, the Libyan government launched Operation Peace Storm to counter attacks on the capital, and recently regained strategic locations, including Al-Watiya airbase, in a major blow to Haftar's forces.

Libya's government was founded in 2015 under a UN-led agreement, but efforts for a long-term political settlement failed due to the military offensive by Haftar’s forces, which have killed around 1,000 people since April 2019.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz

MISRATA, Libya

Two Libyan Army soldiers were killed on Friday in an airstrike by a United Arab Emirates (UAE)-made drone in northwestern Libya, according to an army spokesman.

The UAE drone attacked Libyan army units along the Abu Qurayn front in Misrata province, Mustafa al-Majei, a spokesman for the Burkan Al-Ghadab (Volcano of Rage) Operation, told Anadolu Agency.

The UAE is one of several countries – along with Egypt and Russia – that have supported the militias of warlord Khalifa Haftar against Libya’s government.

The attack came after the Libyan Army this week announced the complete liberation of the capital Tripoli along with the strategic city of Tarhuna from Haftar militias.

*Writing by Zehra Nur Duz