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Al-Watiya Air Base

Coordinates: 32°28′20″N 11°54′00″E / 32.47222°N 11.90000°E / 32.47222; 11.90000
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Al-Watiya Air Base
Summary
Airport typeMilitary
OwnerGovernment of National Unity
OperatorGovernment of National Unity
Elevation AMSL253 ft / 77 m
Coordinates32°28′20″N 11°54′00″E / 32.47222°N 11.90000°E / 32.47222; 11.90000
Map
al-Watiya A.B. is located in Libya
al-Watiya A.B.
al-Watiya A.B.
Location of the airport in Libya
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
10R/28L 3,200 10,499 Asphalt
10L/28R 3,200 10,499 Asphalt
Source: GCM[1] Google Maps[2]

Al-Watiya Air Base also known as Okba Ibn Nafa Air Base (ICAO: HL77) is a military airport in the Nuqat al Khams district of western Libya. It was named after Uqba ibn Nafi, the Islamic general who conquered North Africa in the 7th century. It is 27 kilometres (17 mi) east of the Tunisian border and 125 kilometres (78 mi) from Tripoli.[3][4]

2011 military intervention in Libya

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Main article: 2011 military intervention in Libya

The al-Watiya air force base was one of the few that escaped total destruction during the NATO-led intervention in 2011 because in its 43 hardened aircraft shelters were stored almost exclusively decommissioned aircraft, so they were not deemed a threat to coalition forces. Just several munition depots located near the airbase and three hardened aircraft shelters were destroyed—where the last operational pro-Gaddafi Mirage F-1BD trainer fighter jet, and the last two operational pro-Gaddafi Su-22M3 bombers were stationed.[5]

Libyan Civil War (2014–2020)

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Main article: Libyan civil war (2014–2020)

The biggest setback for the pro-GNA forces happened on 9 August 2014, when pro-LNA forces captured al-Watiya air force base, where 10 to 12 decommissioned Su-22 bombers, several Mi-25 combat attack helicopters and possibly up to 21 decommissioned Mirage F-1ED fighter jets, as well as all spare parts and weapons for Mirage F-1ED and Su-22 aircraft, were stored there—this defeat crippled the pro-GNA air forces, because now they lost their main source of spare parts for maintaining their Mirage F-1ED fighter jets.[6][7][8]

It then became an important strategic foothold for forces loyal to eastern-based commander Khalifa Haftar. Using the captured equipment in al-Watiya air force base, pro-LNA forces started to bring back to active service several Su-22 bombers and Mirage F-1ED fighter jets in 2014 and 2015.[5]

Battle of al-Watiya Airbase

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Main article: Battle of Al-Watiya Airbase

In April 2019, Haftar's army launched an offensive to take Tripoli from the UN-backed Government of National Accord, during which Air Force planes loyal to the GNA attacked LNA positions.[9] On 8 April 2019, a series of airstrikes was carried out by both pro-LNA and pro-GNA air forces—pro-GNA fighter jets bombed on that day the pro-LNA al-Watiya air force base, and in response to that attack pro-LNA MiG-21 fighter jets launched from that same air force base successfully bombed the pro-GNA Mitiga International Airport in Tripoli, damaging it.[10][11][12]

On 24 April 2019, a Mirage F1 was lost near al-Watiya airbase, shot down by pro-LNA forces, while pro-GNA air forces were bombing the pro-LNA al-Watiya airbase—its pilot, reportedly an Ecuadorian mercenary, ejected safely and was captured by pro-LNA forces, according to pro-LNA sources.[13] At first, pro-LNA sources claimed it was a pro-GNA Mirage F-1AD shot down after bombing the pro-LNA forces in that area.[14] However, analysis by foreign experts revealed it to be actually a Mirage F1-AD serial number 402, and initially suggested it was previously in the possession of the pro-LNA air forces, and that it was shot down by its own pro-LNA anti-air defences.[15] Serial number 402 was later shown to be operational; however, the LNA claim regarding the pilot of the plane and ejection seat remained unproven, and the plane was an F1AD, with the only Mirage F1 previously confirmed to be active in GNA service being an F1ED. Therefore, the original owner of the plane remains unclear.[16] It was unknown whether that Mirage F-1AD that crashed at al-Watiya air force base on April 24 was shot down by pro-LNA forces, or whether it crashed due to technical problems while repelling the pro-GNA air force attack, but a consensus later emerged that (in the absence of an official refutation of the LNA's claim) the Mirage lost must have been a GNA plane.[17][18]

On 19 June 2019, pro-GNA forces claimed that their fighter jets bombed pro-LNA Al Watiya air force base, destroying on the runway a pro-LNA Su-22 fighter bomber just as it was taking off, however this claims remain unconfirmed by independent sources.[19][20]

On 16 April 2020, GNA forces besieged al-Watiya airbase.[21] On 21 April, the LNA launched a counter-attack from al-Watiya air base, capturing the town of Al-Aqrabiya north of the air base.[22]

On 5 May 2020, the GNA launched a new offensive to capture al-Watiya airbase.[23] The GNA claimed to have successfully encircled the base[24] and claimed two enemy Grad Rocket launch vehicles destroyed and various ammunition vehicles.[25]

On 18 May 2020, it was captured by forces aligned with Libya's internationally recognised government after a sustained assault, in what could be their most significant advance for nearly a year.[4] At the base, they captured a Pantsir-S1 TLAR belonging to the Libyan National Army with minor damages and was transported by the US forces to be examined.[26][27][28]

On 4 July 2020, unidentified "foreign" warplanes targeted al-Watiya airbase, according to a spokesman for the GNA forces, Col. Mohamed Gnounou. The airstrikes injured some Turkish soldiers and destroyed the MIM-23 Hawk missiles and KORAL Electronic Warfare System.[29][30][31][32] Turkey withdrew substantial part of the garrison after suffering material losses by the attack.[33]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Airport information for HL77 at Great Circle Mapper.
  2. ^ Google Map - Okba Ibn Nafa
  3. ^ "Libya's GNA recaptures strategic al-Watiya airbase". Al Jazeera. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  4. ^ a b "Libyan forces aligned with Tripoli government capture key air base". Reuters. 18 May 2020. Archived from the original on June 10, 2020. Retrieved 22 May 2020.
  5. ^ a b Delalande, Arnaud (3 December 2015). "AeroHisto - Aviation History: New Mirage F1 and Su-22 in Libyan Air Force's fleet". aerohisto.blogspot.com. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  6. ^ "AeroHisto - Aviation History". aerohisto.blogspot.com. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  7. ^ Delalande, Arnaud (28 November 2016). "AeroHisto - Aviation History: Libyan National Army Air Force added a second 'Fitter' in its fleet". aerohisto.blogspot.com. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  8. ^ Delalande, Arnaud (3 June 2016). "AeroHisto - Aviation History: Libyan Mirage F1ED crashed near Sirte". aerohisto.blogspot.com. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  9. ^ Libya's western Air Force strikes Haftar's forces positioned in Mizda, Sooq Al-Khamis. Libya Express, published 6 April 2019.
  10. ^ "Tripoli's only functional airport hit by air raid as clashes rage". aljazeera.com. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  11. ^ @aldin_ww (8 April 2019). "Aircraft in question seems to be MiG-21" (Tweet). Retrieved 10 April 2019 – via Twitter.
  12. ^ "UN-backed Libya gov't jets strike Haftar's airbase". aa.com.tr. Retrieved 10 April 2019.
  13. ^ Delalande, Arnaud [@Arn_Del] (23 April 2019). "Finally it seems that Misrata has lost à Mirage F1 in al-Jufra area. Fate of the pilot is still unknown. Hard to know if the jet was shot down or not...https://twitter.com/aldin_ww/status/1120918689279369218 …" (Tweet). Retrieved 25 May 2019 – via Twitter.
  14. ^ Berkowitz, Oded (23 April 2019). "#Libya- correction: according to @LNASpox, the wreckage is of an aircraft (in fact a Mirage F-1) that was shot down after bombing al-Watiyah airbase (120km SW of #Tripoli)". twitter.com. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  15. ^ https://twitter.com/Arn_Del/status/1121178362335068160 [dead link‍]
  16. ^ @Arn_Del (26 April 2019). "Thanks to @Roumi_O for the video !" (Tweet). Retrieved 25 May 2019 – via Twitter.
  17. ^ "Stopping the War for Tripoli". Crisis Group. 23 May 2019. Retrieved 25 May 2019.
  18. ^ @Arn_Del (10 May 2019). "@Eljarh Definitively no, LNA/GNA have about 15 fighter jets each. LNA lost 1 MiG-21 & GNA 2 Mirage F1s.LNA has 2…" (Tweet). Retrieved 25 May 2019 – via Twitter.
  19. ^ "Heavy fighting in southern Tripoli as Libyan Air Force destroys Sukhoi aircraft for Haftar's forces". 19 June 2019.
  20. ^ "Libyan Air Force destroys ammo, weapons and vehicles for Haftar's forces near Gharyan | The Libya Observer". libyaobserver.ly. Archived from the original on 2023-03-21. Retrieved 2020-05-27.
  21. ^ "Besieged Airbase Shows Turkey Turning the Tide in Libya's War". Bloomberg.com. 17 April 2020.
  22. ^ "Libia: portavoce Haftar, respinta offensiva del Gna sulla base aerea di Al Watiya". Agenzia Nova.
  23. ^ "Libya: GNA launch offensive to capture al-Watiya airbase". aljazeera.com.
  24. ^ "Libyan army surrounds al-Watiya air base". aa.com.tr.
  25. ^ "Libyan army conducts 24 air ops on al-Watiya airbase". aa.com.tr.
  26. ^ Sutton, H I (19 May 2020). "One Of Russia's Most Advanced Missiles Systems Captured In Libya". Forbes. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
  27. ^ "Libya's GNA forces seize full control of strategic Al-Watiya airbase". Libyan Express. 18 May 2020. Retrieved 18 May 2020.
  28. ^ Trevithick, Joseph (27 January 2021). "The United States Smuggled A Russian-Made Pantsir Air Defense System Out Of Libya: Report". The Drive. Retrieved 2021-04-20.
  29. ^ "Turkish Forces Lick Wounds After Airstrikes Hit Their Base In Libya". Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. 8 July 2021.
  30. ^ "LNA destroys Turkish air defense, electronic warfare systems western Libya". Egypt Today. 5 July 2020.
  31. ^ "Airstrikes hit Libya base held by Turkey-backed forces". The Washington Post. 5 July 2020.
  32. ^ "Libya: Turkey vows 'retribution' for attack on its positions at al-Watiya airbase". Middle East Eye. 6 July 2020.
  33. ^ "Jets bomb Libya's GNA-controlled Watiya airbase where Turkey may build base: Sources". Al-Arabiyah. 5 July 2020.
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