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LNA Downs Six Turkish Drones

A Libyan family inspects the effects of the damage to their home during the bombing of areas south of Tripoli, Libya (AFP)
A Libyan family inspects the effects of the damage to their home during the bombing of areas south of Tripoli, Libya (AFP)
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LNA Downs Six Turkish Drones

A Libyan family inspects the effects of the damage to their home during the bombing of areas south of Tripoli, Libya (AFP)
A Libyan family inspects the effects of the damage to their home during the bombing of areas south of Tripoli, Libya (AFP)

The Libyan National Army (LNA), commanded by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, reported that it had downed six Turkish drones belonging to the Government of National Accord (GNA) forces in three days. By far, this constituted the largest attack against Tripoli’s airspace since LNA forces took over in April 2019.

The total number of drones downed since February 27 sits at 6.

Commander of LNA’s western military operations room, Maj. Gen. al-Mabrouk al-Ghazwi confirmed the downing of a Turkish drone south of Tripoli after it took off from “Turkish base in Mitiga,” saying it was a violation of the ceasefire declared in the region. Ghazwi then said that the number of downed drones had reached 6.

LNA spokesman Maj. Gen. Ahmed al-Mismari quoted Ghazwi as confirming his units’ readiness to deal with any threat that puts the security and safety of the capital and forces at risk.

“The Turkish drones tried to launch a major air operation against the army forces and aim at more civilian targets,” Ghazwi added in a press statement on Saturday.

He indicated that the army air defense forces “are still conducting radar reconnaissance operations in order to hunt any enemy drones in the military operations zone in western Libya.”

The LNA is carrying out a heavy push on GNA and Turkish forces, especially around Mitiga airport.

More than 60 Grad rockets had landed on the airport.

Meanwhile, the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) strongly condemned the continuing violations of the Tripoli truce, which had been declared on 12 January.

UNSMIL was particularly irked by the recent repeated bombings over the last three days of Mitiga airport, the capital’s only functioning airport.

UNSMIL said that Mitiga is a vital and important outlet for thousands of Libyans in the greater Tripoli area. It is also a vital entry and exit point for all international diplomats, NGOs, and UN agencies.

The truce violations are particularly embarrassing for the UNSMIL as they come about as it is amid brokering its beleaguered ‘‘political track’’ Libya talks in Geneva.

In its condemnation statement, UNSMIL said that these truce violations come as Libyans and the UN are working hard across the three tracks to end the fighting, find final solutions to the Libyan crisis, and end the suffering of the Libyan people.

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Security Council Urges Syrian Authorities to Protect Minorities

Security personnel inspect vehicles at a checkpoint set up to confiscate stolen items, in Latakia, Syria March 14, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
Security personnel inspect vehicles at a checkpoint set up to confiscate stolen items, in Latakia, Syria March 14, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
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Security Council Urges Syrian Authorities to Protect Minorities

Security personnel inspect vehicles at a checkpoint set up to confiscate stolen items, in Latakia, Syria March 14, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
Security personnel inspect vehicles at a checkpoint set up to confiscate stolen items, in Latakia, Syria March 14, 2025. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

The UN Security Council has condemned the widespread violence in several provinces in Syria, calling on the interim authorities “to protect all Syrians without distinction.”

In a presidential statement it adopted unanimously on Friday, the Council “condemned the widespread violence perpetrated in Syria’s Latakia and Tartus provinces since 6 March — including mass killings of civilians among the Alawite community.”

The Council “condemned attacks targeting civilian infrastructure” and “called on all parties to immediately cease all violence and inflammatory activities and ensure the protection of all civilian populations and infrastructure, as well as humanitarian operations.”

It said “all parties and States must ensure full, safe and unhindered humanitarian access to those affected and the humane treatment of all persons. The Council also urged a rapid increase of humanitarian support across Syria.”

The Council “called for swift, transparent, independent, impartial and comprehensive investigations to ensure accountability and bring all perpetrators of violence against civilians to justice.”

It took note of the Syrian interim authorities’ establishment of an independent committee to investigate such violence and identify those responsible.

The Council also noted the Syrian decision to establish a committee for civil peace.

It renewed its call for an inclusive political process led and owned by Syrians, facilitated by the UN and based on the principles outlined in resolution 2254. “This includes safeguarding the rights of all Syrians — regardless of ethnicity or religion — meeting their legitimate aspirations and enabling them to peacefully, independently and democratically determine their futures.”

Meanwhile, the Special Envoy for Syria, Geir Pedersen, hoped that the Constitutional Declaration issued by the Syrian authorities “will move Syria toward restoring the rule of law and promoting an orderly inclusive transition.”

Pedersen issued a statement on the fourteenth anniversary of the war in Syria.

“Now is the time for bold moves to create a genuinely credible and inclusive transitional government and legislative body; a constitutional framework and process to draft a new constitution for the long term that is credible and inclusive too; and genuine transitional justice,” he said.

“More than three months since the fall of the Assad regime, Syria now stands at a pivotal moment,” he added.

The Special Envoy called for “an immediate end to all violence and for protection of civilians in accordance with international law” and called “for a credible independent investigation into the recent killings and violence, and for the full cooperation of the caretaker authorities with the United Nations in this regard.”