WASHINGTON/BEN­GHAZI: The United States said on Saturday it was looking into a report that American anti-tank missiles were found by forces loyal to Libya’s unity government at a captured rebel base.

The New York Times reported on Friday that four Javelin missiles were found at a base used by men under the command of Khalifa Haftar, a strongman who has waged a months-long offensive against Libya’s internationally recognised government based in Tripoli.

Markings indicate the missiles were first sold to the United Arab Emirates.

“We take all allegations of misuse of US origin defence articles very seriously. We are aware of these reports and are seeking additional information,” a State Department spokesperson said.

“We expect all recipients of US origin defence equipment to abide by their end-use obligations.” The missiles were apparently discovered earlier this week when forces loyal to the Government of National Accord recaptured the strategic town of Gharyan in a surprise attack, seizing the main supply base for Haftar’s Tripoli offensive.

The New York Times reported that markings on the missiles indicated they had been sold to the UAE, a US ally, in 2008.

If they were then sold or transferred to Haftar, that would violate both the terms of the sale and a UN arms embargo on Libya, the report said.

The UAE, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are seen as key supporters of Haftar. Chinese-made attack drones were also found, the newspaper reported.

Haftar vows attacks on Turkish assets

Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar has threatened to attack Turkish interests and accused Ankara of backing his rivals after he suffered a major setback in his push to take the capital Tripoli.

Anti-Haftar forces that nominally back Libya’s internationally recognised government announced on Wednesday they had retaken the strategic town of Gharyan in a surprise attack, seizing Haftar’s main supply base for his months-long offensive.

Haftar on Saturday promised a “tough response” and accused militias backing the Tripoli-based Gove­rnment of National Accord of executing his wounded troops at the town’s hospital — allegations refuted by both the GNA and authorities in Gharyan.

Dozens of pro-Haftar fighters were killed in the clashes some 100 kilometres south of the capital, with at least 18 taken prisoner, a GNA spokesman said.

Correspondents who toured Gharyan were shown signs of a hasty retreat by Haftar’s forces, who left behind their wounded, a command post, arms, ammunition and even food burning on stoves.

“The speed (of the attack), the surprise element and the revolt (by the area’s residents) sowed fear” in the ranks of Haftar’s fighters, General Ahmad Bouchahma, a senior GNA officer, said during a tour of the area.Both sides accuse each other of using foreign mercenaries and receiving military support from external powers, despite a UN arms embargo in place since the 2011 Nato-backed uprising that overthrew Moamer Qadhafi’s regime.

Haftar has the backing of the UAE and Egypt and accuses Turkey and Qatar of supporting the GNA.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has confirmed his country backs the GNA and provides weapons to it under a “military cooperation agreement”.

He told reporters on June 19 that Turkish backing had allowed Tripoli to “rebalance” the fight against Haftar.

Published in Dawn, June 30th, 2019