https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/t...bels-l7wld0nfg
Turkey sends fighter jets into Libyan airspace as GNA attacks rebels
Turkey has flown F16 fighter jets over the Libyan coast as it steps up intervention in the country’s civil war.
The military authorities in Ankara said the flights were part of a training exercise. However, they took place as the Turkish-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) continued a major offensive against the rebel officer, Khalifa Haftar, and his Libyan National Army (LNA)........
As part of the offensive, jets carried out numerous attacks over the rebel-held town of Tarhouna, southeast of Tripoli, and on a rebel air base. The GNA insisted the raids were carried out by their own small force of drones and ageing Russian and Italian fighter jets and trainer aircraft.
Turkey’s deployment of F16s could have been intended to send a message after the UAE were said to have agreed to supply Marshal Haftar’s forces with an upgraded air defence system........
The flypast of F16s, which began on Friday, was militarily as well as politically significant. Military experts had questioned whether Turkey’s airforce would have the operating range to take part in the Libyan war without Nato support.
The exercises were briefly described by the Turkish military as involving Air Force Command jets from Eskisehir airbase in northwest Turkey, and the Turkish navy. A key factor, however, was that Turkish KC-135R refuelling tankers were said to have been used.........