MiG-23 fighter jet shot down over Libya's Benghazi
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Members of the armed forces loyal to Libya's internationally recognized government walk past fighter jets at the Benina air base, south of the coastal city of Benghazi, December 10, 2015. (AFP)
A MiG-23 fighter jet of Libya's internationally recognized government has been shot down while carrying out airstrikes against militant positions in the coastal city of Benghazi.
Nasser el-Hassi, the Spokesman for the Government's Forces, told AFP on Friday that the aircraft was "shot down in Qaryunes, northwest Benghazi, as it bombed positions of the Shura Council" of Mujahideen in Derna, a coalition of militants close to al-Qaeda.
However, the SITE Intelligence Group, a US-based organization that tracks terrorists’ online activities, said that the ISIL terrorist group claimed responsibility for the downing of the plane.
The pilot ejected and landed safely, but his whereabouts were not immediately clear, a source said.
It was the second military plane crash in Libya this week. On Monday, another MiG-23 belonging to forces loyal to Libya's recognized government crashed near the northeastern city of Derna after bombarding ISIL positions. The Libyan News Agency, which is close to the Tobruk-based government, blamed "technical problems" for the incident.
Another MiG-23 came down in Libya’s second largest city of Benghazi in early January.
ME
