On Sunday 12th April, 2020 the Pantsir S1 Turkish Air Defense System shot down a Russian made Mil Mi-35 Helicopter in the northern region of Libya, the Libyan National Army (LNA) confirmed. According to LNA the helicopter was flying over the Misurata area, when the helo was hit by air defense missiles belonging to the Government of National Accord (GNA) forces and their allies.
The LNA said all of the personnel which were 3 on board the Mi-35 were killed during the shoot down – Capt. Al Senoussi Al Dorsi, 1st Lt. Adel Al Zawwi & flight engineer, Juma Al Obaidi.
The Government of National Accord (GNA) forces and their allies are heavily supported by Turkey, as the latter has provided the GNA with military equipment and personnel to help fend off the LNA.
The helicopter was based at Al Watija Air Base.
Meanwhile reports came in as over 80 LNA dead bodies were sent to Ibn Sina Hospital, in their controlled Sirte following their failed offensive to take Abu Qurayn which is a village and located 118 km south of Misurata, and 138 km west of Sirte today. Several LNA vehicles, an ammo truck, 2 LNA drones were also destroyed by GNA forces.
The Pantsir S1 air defence systems are delivered by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to Libya and have been used to shoot down over a dozen Turkish unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In fact was January 22nd a Bayraktar TB2 armed drone was shot down at Mitiga.
According to unverified reports from the Libyan National Army (LNA) it states that the Pantsir S1 had destroyed 16 Turkish aircraft between November 2019 and March 2020. Some two dozen Turkish UAVs were destroyed over Libya, with the Pantsir S1 accounting for half of them. Also this week, the system has apparently shot down four UAVs and a Mirage F1 fighter. Video emerged showing apparent Mirage F1 wreckage on 14th April, but few other details have been forthcoming.
Also on Thursday 16th April, 2020 – a United States Air Force (USAF) Boeing C-17A (callsign RCH223, reg. 09-9205) made an unusual flight from the USA (Andrews AFB) to Benghazi, Libya – https://www.itamilradar.com/2020/04/16/direct-flight-usa-benghazi/
During a press briefing on Sunday 12th April evening, Colonel Muhammad Qanunu said the GNA’s air defences had shot down the two Chinese made Wing Loong unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and one Mi-35 helicopter.
Image of 5A-DOM C130 Hercules together with 5A-DOH Antonov An-26-100 Curl aircraft at Misurata Air Base, Libya back to 27th September 2011
Since 2014, the United Arab Emirates and Egypt had provided the LNA with military equipment, including Panthera T6, Typhoon and Caiman armoured vehicles, MiG-21 fighter aircraft and Mi-24/35P helicopters.
Watermarked Photos by Capt. Lawrence Dalli. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Friday 17th April, 2020
