Saturday, September 06, 2014

Neo-Colonial Libyan Regime Says Sudanese War Plane Loaded With Ammunition for Tripoli Enters Its Airspace
Aerial bombardment of Tripoli, Libya on Aug. 25, 2014.
Sat Sep 6, 2014 6:30pm EDT

BENGHAZI Libya (Reuters) - Libya said a Sudanese military transport plane bound for a Tripoli airport under control of an armed group had entered its airspace, a government statement said on Saturday.

"This work from the Sudanese state violates (the sovereignty) of the State of Libya and interferes with its affairs," the statement said, adding that Libya had asked the Sudanese military attache to leave the country.

Libya said the Sudanese plane had been bound for Tripoli-Matiga airport and made a refueling stop in the Libyan desert oasis Kufra near the border to Sudan. Ammunition had been found loaded on that plane during an inspection at Kufra airport, it added.

"We, the Libyan government, firmly denounce that a Sudanese military plane has penetrated the Libyan airspace without an official permit from the Libyan government. The plane was carrying ammunition which had not been officially approved by the Libyan government," the statement said.

Libya is in turmoil as armed groups have seized the capital Tripoli, controlling the Matiga airport. The government had withdrawn to Tobruk in the far east of the oil producer.

(Reporting by Ahmed Elumami, Feras Bosalum and Ali Abdelati; Writing by Ulf Laessing; Editing by Sandra Maler and Lisa Shumaker)

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