Libya's GNA says Jordan sold UAVs to its enemy

Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) has said that Jordan has sold Chinese-made unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the Libyan National Army: a powerful faction led by former general Khalifa Haftar.

While Jordan is not known to have any Wing Loong UAVs, it put six CH-4s up for sale in 2019. (Jane’s/Patrick Allen)

In a letter to the UN Security Council that was made public on 4 April, GNA Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Siala complained that several foreign states are supplying “all types of weapons” to the LNA in contravention of the arms embargo imposed by the UN Security Council.

“One of the aircraft being used in the war against Tripoli and the cities of western Libya is the Chinese Wing Loong drone, which Haftar recently brought in from Jordan,” he wrote. “According to available information, the drones were sold to Jordan for the purpose of protecting that country’s frontier. However, having been delivered to Haftar’s forces, they are now being used outside its borders in a clear violation of Security Council resolutions.”

He added that Jordanian UAVs had been delivered to Baninah (Benina) Airport in Benghazi aboard an Il-76TD cargo aircraft that arrived from Amman at 17:10 h on 28 March.

Flight tracking data shows an Il-76TD operated by Kazakhstan’s Jenis Air was flying from Amman towards Benghazi when its transponder stopped transmitting after 15:00 h GMT (17:00 h Libyan time). The aircraft, UP-17652, has been flying from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Jordan to Libya in recent weeks.