Libya: Haftar forces bombed Maitika airport and threatened to shoot down civilian aircraft

The forces of the retired Libyan Major General, Khalifa Haftar, bombed the Maitika airport in Tripoli, in violation of the truce in force, and threatened to shoot down civilian aircraft flying over the capital and its vicinity.

Ahmed Al-Mesmari, a spokesman for Haftar's forces, told a news conference in the city of Benghazi (eastern Libya) on Wednesday evening that his forces announced an air embargo over Tripoli entirely, including Maitika airport.

He added that any military or civilian aircraft taking off or landing at the airport will face a response, noting that the ban extends from the city of Gharyan (100 km southwest of Tripoli) to the east of the city of Tarhuna (90 km southeast of Tripoli) and the beaches of the capital.

He added that all civil and military aircraft entering the air embargo will be legitimate targets and will be destroyed directly, and that air defenses began to implement the embargo.

Al-Mismari addressed this threat shortly after the Haftar forces fired six Grad rockets at Mitiga airport, which necessitated its closure for some time. The spokesman for the forces of the Libyan National Accord government, Colonel Mohamed Qanunu, said that the missile strike was a new violation of the truce.

In an interview with Al-Jazeera on the "Without Borders" program, Libyan Interior Minister Fathi Pashaga denounced the new bombing of Maitika airport and described it as a criminal and reckless act.

It is noteworthy that the forces of Haftar, which have been attacking Tripoli since April 4, announced in late November last year the imposition of an air embargo over the Libyan capital, and repeatedly targeted the Maitika airport, and almost hit pilgrims inside it in early September, and because of these repeated attacks are taking place. Transferring flights towards the Misurata International Airport.

Since the ceasefire declared by the Turkish and Russian Presidents from the 12th of this month, the government of National Accord has accused the forces of retired Major General Khalifa Haftar of violating the armistice repeatedly.