A joint investigation by the Guardian found that both sides are sending military cargo aircraft to the region, in flagrant violation of the cessation of conflict agreement.
Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have committed regular and increasingly egregious violations of the UN arms embargo on Libya by fuelling war.
Flight data and satellite imagery show that both countries are using large military cargo aircraft to deliver goods, and fighter jets are being used by troops or intermediary forces in Libya, regularly violating the 2011 UN arms embargo despite political promises to refrain from engaging in war.
During the nine-year conflict, Turkey supported the internationally recognised government in Tripoli with troops and arms, while the UAE reinforced its opposing forces in eastern Libya led by General Khalifa Haftar.
“The arms embargo remains totally ineffective,” said the diplomat, aware of the forthcoming UN Panel of Experts’ annual report on Libya, which is expected to focus on violations. – “In the case of those member states that directly support the conflict, the violations are extensive, flagrant and total disregard for sanctions,” the diplomat added.
Last January, Turkey and the UAE took part in a flagship summit in Berlin, which was designed to stop foreign intervention by supplying weapons, troops and money to Libya.
France, Russia, Egypt, the USA and the UK as well as Turkey and the UAE took part in the summit. The main outcome of the summit was a proposal to impose sanctions on countries that violate the arms embargo.
But even at the time of the conference, both sides were increasing their efforts. As a result, according to observers, the UN arms embargo is virtually in place.
These findings are part of a joint investigation into British arms tracking around the world, the cooperation of Guardian, Bellingcat and the non-profit media company Lighthouse Reports. Lighthouse provided additional information on Turkey’s use of military cargo aircraft, obtained in cooperation with German news agencies Stern and ARD, as well as the Spanish newspaper El Diario.
The UAE uses part of its C-17 Globemaster III’s fleet, “a massive long-haul military transport aircraft”, according to the manufacturer Boeing. Boeing and the UAE Ministry of Defence have not responded to requests for comments.
Flight radar data and satellite images show the aircraft flying regularly from the UAE Kusahvira desert airport to two remote military air bases, Sidi Barrani, in Egypt’s western desert bordering eastern Libya, and Janaklis, near Alexandria. The aircraft are sent from the military air base to military facilities piloted by the UAE military, which excludes any possibility that their mission is civilian in nature.
Satellite footage shows a rapid increase in cargo capacity at the Sidi-Barrani air base since late 2019. The military airbases on Egypt’s border with Libya play a key role in UAE’s efforts to support the Libyan National Army Haftar.
“What is on them is either transported by road or taken away by planes flying to Haftar”, – said the diplomat. -“The [UN] group has written that these are indirect supplies of arms and related materials, which is a violation of the resolution”, – they said when they spoke about the arms embargo. The Egyptian Foreign Ministry did not respond to the request to comment on the use of their air bases.
Sigma was authorized by the EU. Some observers complained that sanctions only on the company name were unlikely to stop flights in the future. “Sigma will abandon the aircraft – sanctions should be imposed on those who control the aircraft,” said diplomat.
Turkey has also used Airbus A400M military cargo aircraft to supply its forces on the ground in western Libya in support of the Tripoli government’s National Agreement.
Flight radar data and satellite images of the aircraft show regular flights between Turkish airports in Istanbul, Gaziantepe and Kayseri to Misrata during June, July and August 2020. Video footage posted on social networks, where Syrian fighters are believed to chat and queue up to board Gaziantepe, suggests that some of these flights were carried by mercenaries.
“The Turkish Air Force used the new route to avoid certain regions of flight information”, – the diplomat explained. – “All flights are unplanned or special charter flights that try to disguise their routes by switching off their transponders.”
A senior source at the Turkish Ministry of Defence told the Guardian that the country’s activities in Libya are focused on disarming explosives left behind by Haftar’s troops, providing humanitarian assistance and managing hospitals.
“All of Turkey’s activities related to Libya are within this framework and in accordance with international law”, – they said. There is no violation of any decisions, sanctions or international law. Our military flights are exclusively designed to carry basic materials necessary for our staff to carry out their mission in Libya, including mine clearance, as well as medical and technical equipment for a hospital run by Turkey.
EU Naval forces recently diverted a tanker with large quantities of jet fuel from the UAE to Benghazi in Libya, ‘probably’ destined for military purposes.