Libyan eastern-based army claims shooting down rival gov't warplane

The UN-backed government's forces assemble in southern part of Tripoli, capital of Lybia, to get prepared for the attacks from the eastern-based army, on April 23, 2019. The eastern-based army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli from the UN-backed government. The fighting has so far killed more than 260 people, injured more than 1,200 others, and forced more than 20,000 people to flee their homes, according to the World Health Organization. (Xinhua)

TRIPOLI, April 23 (Xinhua) -- Libya's eastern-based army on Tuesday announced that it shot down a fighter jet of the UN-backed government, which tried to attack its airbase in southern Libya.

"Anti-missiles of Jufra airbase managed to shoot down a fighter jet of the terrorist militias (government forces) trying to strike the base this morning," the army's spokesman Ahmad al-Mismari said in a statement.

The fighter jet was with two other planes that fled afterwards, al-Mismari said, adding that search was underway for the downed plane and pilot.

The Jufra district, located some 650 km southeast of the capital Tripoli, is controlled by the army.

The eastern-based army, led by Khalifa Haftar, has been leading a military campaign since early April to take over Tripoli from the government.

The fighting so far has killed more than 260 people, injured more than 12,00 others, and forced more than 20,000 people to flee their homes, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Libya has been struggling to make a democratic transition amid insecurity and chaos ever since the fall of former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011.