US loses military drone over Libya

US loses military drone over Libya
November 23, 2019, 11:24 am

A file photo taken on November 17, 2015 of an MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft flying by during a training mission at Creech Air Force Base in Indian Springs, Nevada. (AFP)

US forces have lost an unarmed drone aircraft over Libya, where the Libyan National Army is battling the Government of National Accord, the Pentagon announced Friday.

“An unarmed US Africa Command remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) was lost over Tripoli, Libya” on Thursday, the command said in a statement.

No reason was given for the loss, and the Africa Command said it was under investigation.

The command conducts drone operations in Libya “to assess the ongoing security situation and monitor violent extremist activity,” it said.

“These operations are critical to counter-terror activity in Libya and are fully coordinated with appropriate government officials.”

The US drone loss came a day after forces loyal to Libya’s Khalifa Haftar said they shot down an Italian drone in western Libya, flying in a zone under their control.

US activities in the country have both monitored the conflict between the government and Haftar’s forces, and the growing power of an ISIS-allied extremist cell in the country’s southwest.

In September, the US Africa Command conducted several airstrikes against the Libyan ISIS force and claimed it had killed dozens.

source: AFP

Duque promises social reforms as three dead in Colombia protests Lebanese protesters pack streets to mark independence day