For the first time, the Libyan government of Al-Wefaq flying dominates the battle sky

Unprecedentedly, the air force of the internationally recognized Libyan reconciliation government has dominated the battle sky in the western region of the country, since the reconciliation forces launched Operation Peace Storm on March 25, 2020, and after retired Major General Khalifa Haftar’s and its international allies have dominated since the launch Attack on Tripoli, April 4, 2019.

This field development is expected to have repercussions on the conduct of the Battle of Tripoli, especially as the Air Force played a decisive role in the heart of the results of several battles in Libya for the benefit of Haftar's forces such as the Benghazi Battle between 2014 and 2017, and the Battle of Derna in 2018.

The air strikes carried out by the Al-Wefaq government on Al-Wattia air base (140 km southwest of Tripoli) are considered almost daily since the end of last month, and those that targeted Haftar's forces in the area between Misurata (200 km east of Tripoli) and Sirte (450 km east of Tripoli) in The past few days are evidence of the Al-Wefaq government flying over the western region of the country, from Al-Waska in the east to Al-Wattia in the west, over a distance of more than 500 km.

The struggle for control over the western region's atmosphere between the Al-Wefaq government and the Haftar forces has gone through four stages since the attack on Tripoli began:

The first stage
The Air Force of the Al-Wefaq government tried to match the flight of Haftar's forces and the countries that support it in the first six months since the start of the Tripoli attack, as the aircraft of the Al-Wefaq forces launched more than 700 raids, while the Haftar Airways and the countries that support it launched 1020 raids, including 850 with drones and 170 with aircraft. A bomber fighter, including 60 foreign airstrikes, according to a report by United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres released in January 2020.

Although Haftar outperformed the number of air strikes by about 60% compared to 40% for Al-Wefaq, it is the first time since 2014 that he is fighting a battle whose air force is not dominant in the sky of battle.

Al-Wefaq Aviation managed at this stage to cut the long supply lines for Haftar forces, which extend from the Al-Jafra air base in the center of the country, through the cities of Bani Walid (180 km southeast of Tripoli) and Tarhuna (65 km southeast of Tripoli), to the front of the fighting fronts south of the capital.

The second phase
Hours after the bombing of the Al-Jafra airbase in the summer of last year, Haftar’s aviation and supporters retaliated with intense retaliatory raids, for the first time, on the Misrata airport and its air force, targeting the hangar hangar. Throughout August 2019, Haftar's forces intensified their raids on the Misrata and Mutaika airports in Tripoli, with the aim of taking Al-Wefaq Aviation out of the battle.

And the suffering of Al-Wefaq Aviation has been increased by providing the Emirates and supportive countries of Haftar such as Egypt with Panzer air defense systems, and the entry of Russian Wagner mercenaries into the battlefield with their experience in controlling drones and air defense systems, in addition to training and maintenance of aircraft.

By September 2019, Al-Wefaq aircraft almost disappeared from the sky of the battle dominated by Haftar with strong support from its international supporters, and the situation lasted until December 2019, and Haftar's forces exploited their air superiority to intensify their raids, especially on the southern neighborhoods of Tripoli.

third level
After the Al-Wefaq government signed a security agreement with Turkey at the end of November 2019, field data changed on the ground and in the sky of the battle, as the security agreement enabled the Tripoli government to install advanced air defense systems in both Tripoli and Misrata.

The shooting of Haftar's MiG-23 airliner came on December 7, 2019 and its pilot was captured, marking the end of Haftar’s flight control of the Tripoli sky, and on January 28, 2020, Al-Wefaq forces shot down a Marching plane in eastern Misrata with a surface-to-air missile.

The fourth stage
Just one day after the al-Wefaq forces suddenly stormed the al-Watiyah airbase on March 25, and captured 27 members of Haftar, including pilots and aviation technicians, al-Wefaq forces launched an attack on the base itself, with the aim of paralyzing its activity.

Al-Wefaq raids on the al-Watiyah base, which has long been used by Haftar's aircraft to bomb the capital's neighborhoods, have left many dead and wounded, and destroyed armed vehicles, but the most severe occurrence was the destruction of 3 Sukhoi 22 military aircraft, which were stationed at the base, on April 3 / This April.

Two days earlier, Al-Wefaq forces shot down an Emirati drone plane south of the town of Al-Ajailat (80 km west of Tripoli), not far from the Al-Watiyah base.

In eastern Misrata, Al-Wefaq forces played an important role in repelling a major attack by Haftar forces on the Abu Qurain area (110 km south of Misrata), from their strongholds in Al-Washka, west of Sirte. Moreover, the Al-Wefaq forces managed to bomb the Great Sirte Operations Room, and killed its commander. His deputy and dozens of officers and soldiers.

Supply lines
Al-Wefaq Aviation returned to target the long supply lines of Haftar's forces after months of absence, as three fuel trucks bombed south of the city of Bani Walid, and three trucks loaded with ammunition in the Al-Asaba area (southwest Gharyan).

Although Al-Wefaq forces regained the initiative in the battle sky, Haftar's allies continue to support him with drones and air defense systems to restore control of the airspace, which will escalate the conflict.