Seige on Tripoli Begins Midnight Christmas, Civilian Aircraft Will be Targeted if Carrying Weapons

Well according to the LNA spokesman Ahmed Mismari, Fighters loyal to the GNA as well as their foreign backers have until 12:00 Christmas to withdraw their forces from Tripoli as General Haftar has proclaimed the decisive battle will be launched at that time. And since thats on the other side of the Earth, this battle is either going down right now, or about to get started. He also mentioned that they will be targeting and shooting down any civilian aircraft transporting weapons systems into the country. Makes sense I guess.

In any case, I will cover what I witness through OSINT in my existing thread covering this topic.

And since this is a holiday, we can expect some Israeli strikes on Damascus as well as possibly some random explosions in either Russia or the USA at some infrastructure or manufacturing related facility, which will as usual be chalked up to a random occurrence/accident.

Now the Egyptians just outfitted the front-line group with some new light armor, so I wonder if F-16's will be utilized as they were after an embarrassing surprise attack against Haftars command center early in the summer.

Whatever happens, I will do my best to make sure we can witness as much of it as possible for historical and documentary purposes.

Flightradar24 and ADS-B right now.


If they hit a civilian aircraft, Ronald Reagan will rise from the grave and bomb them again.

a reply to: Bigburgh
Well they were not referring to passenger liners. Specifically transport craft. Lots of flights frequently arriving from Istanbul loaded with weapons and light armor.
And hey buddy, since your here, any chance you can ID this helicopter from a mid December strike?? It was flying crazy low and than appeared to possibly get targeted as it swiftly cut right and released those flares. I know they have used Mi-35's previously, but I cannot tell if that is one. Video taken by drone.
[yvid][/yvid]

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Looks like an Mi-35. I haven't seen a current equipment list, but the Libyan Air Force only had Mi-8s and Mi-35s for their helicopter component, and there's no way that's a Hip.

a reply to: Zaphod58
Thanks for ID Zap! Also, did you hear about that Su-57 crash yesterday? I wonder what thats all about. At least the pilot ejected.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Zaphod suggested a 35.
Here's what a 24 and 35 look like.

24.


35.

The video looks like it.
24 35, same aircraft but a different variant.

Thanks Zaphod

Edit: I keep watching the video...
the helicopter in the video ha a blunt short cockpit nose section.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

Sounds like a manufacturing issue. Russia has had serious manufacturing problems for years. You should read some of the reports from the Su-34 service entry. Word yesterday is either a flight control or electrical problem.

a reply to: Bigburgh

It's most likely the angle and compression of the video. The Mi-8 has a short, fat fuselage. There aren't many that it's going to be in that part of the world.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Since it can't be focused on, could be an mi-8

I was thinking this.
Mi-2

a reply to: Bigburgh

It's possible but not likely given the operators. There are a couple good angles in the early part of the video that look almost exactly like a -35.

They're gonna' shoot down SANTA???????

I mean, what if SANTA has the Red Ryder BB gun on the sleigh???

OMG!! They CAN'T shoot down SANTA!!!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

You'll shoot your eye out.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

It was flying crazy low and than appeared to possibly get targeted as it swiftly cut right and released those flares.

Actually that is a typical gun run. Acquire your target go in low and fast, shoot and then get to hell out of there. In the old days we did not have flares, but the bad guys did not have shoulder fired missile to shoot up your butt either.

a reply to: 727Sky

Talking about missiles where the sun don't shine, here's a video of a guy using what is agreed to be an SA-2 that dropped a Mig-23 recently.


There is also these Chinese FN-6 in circulation it seems

a reply to: worldstarcountry

That absolutely is not an SA-2. The Russian designation for the missile used by the SA-2 was the S-75. It was known as "the flying telephone pole" by pilots over Vietnam. It's a large, fixed location surface to air missile, not a MANPADS. The missile used appears to be a Strela-2, also known as the SA-7.

This is an S-75/SA-2 missile:


The aircraft was known as the "Frankenstein Flogger" because it was put back together with parts from three different aircraft.


It was being flown by Brig. Gen. Aamer Al-Jagam who ejected and was arrested.

a reply to: worldstarcountry

I didn't know Haftar was being backed by Russia and the UAE.

The security chief of Libya’s UN-backed government in Tripoli said Russian mercenaries backing eastern commander Khalifa Haftar are now spearheading a battle to capture the capital.

Fathi Bashagha, the interior minister for the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord, said fighters with the Russian Wagner group, headed by a confidant of Russian president Vladimir Putin, are leading the battle on the frontlines in Tripoli’s outskirts, which has been accompanied by heavy shelling.

The Interior Minister in Libyas GNA Fathi Bashagha
Fathi Bashagha
Western officials say more than 1,000 Wagner mercenaries have arrived since September to back Haftar’s Libyan National Army in his nine-month offensive to capture Tripoli. The campaign, which has stalled at Tripoli’s outskirts, has drawn intervention from the United Arab Emirates and Egypt on Haftar’s behalf, while Turkey has assisted the Tripoli-based government.

Russia and Haftar’s forces have denied that mercenaries are fighting in Tripoli.

“Our fighters report that all the attacks are now being done by the Russians,” Bashagha told Bloomberg News in a phone interview. “They are fighting as infantry in the front lines.”

Bashagha said the Russians have sophisticated drone-jamming technology and artillery. “Over two days, they launched 2,500 projectiles, whether mortar rounds or artillery,” he said.

What is a "Wagner mercenary" by the way? The Russians are there with an OK sign from the Russian Government? Are they trained and equipped by the Russian military too? They're basically Russian paramilitary that isn't technically an official deployment of Russian forces? lol. Wouldn't that be considered Russian military for all intents and purposes? They're doing it voluntarily so it doesn't count? That sounds like a great tool, why doesn't the US do that?

Bashagha’s comments followed the Turkish parliament’s approval on Saturday of a defense pact with his government, which is expected to lead to further military assistance and possible personnel deployment. Turkey has already provided the Tripoli-base government with armed drones to counter the UAE’s small fleet of drones that have been deployed on Haftar’s behalf.

Bashagha said his government has asked for assistance from several countries, including the U.S.

“The Government of National Accord has an obligation to defend Tripoli’s residents,” he said. “A few days ago planes we believe are Emirati struck Misrata, this is foreign intervention. It is the Government of National Accord’s right to search for ways it can end this aggression.”

The deal with Turkey, which was accompanied by a maritime agreement in the Mediterranean, has especially angered neighboring Egypt, which has traded barbs and threats with the Tripoli-based government.

Bashagha said his government wishes for good relations with the Arab regional power. “We are keen on cooperating with Egypt, but we won’t allow Haftar to rule by force,” he said.

Egypt is pro-Haftar and the UAE is supplying Haftar with equipment? Possibly sent planes to attack Misrata?

www.bloomberg.com...

Time to reload Harpoon II and build a scenario.

Probly won't run on Windows10.

a reply to: FlyingSquirrel

The Wagner Group is described as a private military organization used in various conflicts. There's a lot of speculation that they're really an undercover Russian military unit that they can use when deniability is important but not a lot is known about them. The founder is believed to have close ties to Putin, and is a former Ukrainian citizen who was a Spetsnaz brigade commander. They've popped up in many conflict areas where Russia has either been involved or supported one side. It's believed that they were behind the shooting down of an undisclosed US UAV a few weeks ago.

originally posted by: Phage
Time to reload Harpoon II and build a scenario.

Probly won't run on Windows10.

Nothing, And I mean Nothing runs on Windows 10

It's good to see you. Merry, Happy, Festivities.

Happy pineapple rains

a reply to: worldstarcountry

How does he know if a civilian aircraft is transporting weapons systems? X-ray vision? Cargo manifest? Ask them?

This doesn't sound good.