TRIPOLI, Sept. 13 (Xinhua) -- Libya's eastern-based army said Friday that it attacked the air base of the city of Misurata, some 200 km east of the capital Tripoli, and destroyed three drones of the UN-backed government.
"The air force targeted Misrata air base, which launched three Turkish drones to attack the Jufra air base, but the drones were all destroyed without being able to achieve their objectives," the information office of the army said in a statement.
"The targeting of the city of Misrata was due to the use of Turkish drones to the city airport. The general command has warned against this, but to no avail," said the statement.
The UN-backed government confirmed targeting Jufra air base, which is located some 650 km east of Tripoli and controlled by the eastern-based army.
"The air force launched two airstrikes targeting anti-aircraft weapons and ground positions of Haftar's militias; one attacked the Jufra base last night and the other attacked the Orban area (some 70 km south of Tripoli) this morning," Mohamed Gunounou, spokesman of the UN-backed government's forces, said in a statement.
The UN-backed government has been engaged in a deadly armed conflict in and around Tripoli since early April against the eastern-based army, which is trying to take over the city and overthrow the UN-backed government.
Libya has been suffering escalating violence and political instability ever since the fall of the former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
