AP reports Egyptian planes bomb Libyan Islamists, presidency denies

The American news agency, Associated Press (AP), reported on Wednesday the involvement of Egyptian aircraft in the bombing of Islamist militias in Libya’s second city, Benghazi. However, Egypt’s presidential spokesperson denied the claims.

AP, citing two unnamed Egyptian military sources, reported that the “use of the aircrafts was part of an Egyptian-led campaign against the militiamen that will eventually involve Libyan ground troops recently trained by Egyptian forces.”

Quoting Libyan parliamentarian, Tarek al-Jorushy, AP reported that Egyptian warplanes are participating in ongoing aerial strikes on Libya’s western city of Benghazi, but claimed the planes are being flown by Libyan pilots. Jorushy said the planes were on loan from Egypt.

AP also reported that an Egyptian navy ship in the Mediterranean Sea — off the coast of the Libyan town of Tobruk — was serving as a command center for the aerial strikes.

However, speaking to the state-controlled Middle East News Agency on Wednesday, Egypt’s Presidential Spokesperson Alaa Youssef refuted all such reports.

In late August, Egyptian authorities similarly refuted claims by US news agencies — citing American intelligence officials — claiming that Egypt and the United Arab Emirates were involved in aerial strikes against armed Islamist groups in Libya.

These reports suggested that UAE fighter jets were launched from Egyptian airstrips, and hit Islamist-controlled positions in Western Libya.

However, Egyptian officials have not officially denied their involvement in, or intent to, train Libyan troops to combat Islamist militias.

Agence France-Presse (AFP) reported on Wednesday that troops loyal to renegade General Khalifa Haftar moved in on Benghazi, targeting Islamist militia Ansar al-Sharia from their eastern stronghold of Tobruk. According to AFP, at least 12 deaths and 10 injuries were reported following armed confrontations on Wednesday.

Egypt’s military officials are believed to be supporting General Haftar, but the extent of this support is no clear.

Speaking before the 69th session of the UN’s General Assembly on September 24, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called for a three-point plan to confront “terrorism in Libya,” including: supporting elected officials and representatives of the Libyan populace, ending arms smuggling into Egypt from the Libyan border, and no negotiations with terrorists or extremists.