Plane ‘shot down’ in Libya

Troops loyal to Libyan military strongman Gen Khalifa Haftar said they shot down a plane belonging to forces loyal to the rival unity government, reports AFP news agency.

The UN-backed Government of National Accord forces said they had lost contact with one of their planes that was on a combat mission south of the capital, and there was no word on the crew’s fate, adds AFP.

The two rival camps have both lost several planes in the past three months of fighting.

A recent upsurge in violence began in April when the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), commanded by Gen Haftar, launched an offensive against the GNA, led by PM Fayez al-Sarraj.