BENGHAZI – Libya closed its air space over Benghazi airport temporarily because of heavy anti-aircraft fire by militants aiming at US reconnaissance drones flying over the city, days after the US ambassador and three other Americans were killed in an attack. The closure of the airport prompted speculation that the United States was deploying special forces in preparation for an attack against the militants who were involved in the attack. A Libyan official said the spy planes flew over the embassy compound and the city, taking photos and inspecting locations of radical militant groups who are believed to have planned and staged the attack on the US consulate Tuesday. Militants used anti-aircraft guns to fire at the drones, forcing the authorities to shut the airport because they feared for the safety of passenger planes. “Two American drones flew over Benghazi last night with knowledge of the Libyan authorities,” Deputy Interior Minister, Wanis Al-Sharif said. “They were visible to the eye, and came under attack by anti-aircraft weapons used by armed militias.” “For this reason, Benghazi security decided to close down the Benghazi airport airspace. Any decision to allow an operation of any sort on Libya soil will be made in coordination with the congress and the new government.” Ali Al-Shaikhi, spokesman for the Army Chief of Staff, said Western allied forces, who helped Libyan rebels to overthrow Muammar Gaddafi last year, continued to fly planes and drones over Libyan airspace to help Libya keep its skies safe. He said that they had increased flights in the past few days due to the worsening security situation. “News came out that there were American drones in the air and so the airport received threats from unknown groups that they would attack any American planes circling over Benghazi. This led the airport to take the decision to close the airspace to take precautions.” The US military was moving two destroyers toward the coast of the North African state, giving the Obama administration flexibility for any future action against militant threats, the officials said. But a member of the Libyan national assembly said: “The Americans may have spoken to our President or Chief of Staff to coordinate an attack on the radical groups in Benghazi but they have not approached us as a Congress (assembly) yet.” “I believe that so far we as Libyans can take care of the operation ourselves because the militias feel they are part of Libyan society, but if we have Americans come in with an operation then these militias will also turn on us,” he said. “For sure we will need the Americans for their logistical and technical support and expertise, and we will ask them for it when the time comes. But for now we need to try to do it ourselves.” – Reuters
