A Libyan fighter jet engaged in paramilitary attacks on Islamists in the restive eastern city of Benghazi crashed and exploded Tuesday after its pilot ejected safely, a military source and a witness said.
It was not immediately clear if the plane was shot down or suffered a malfunction, added General Sagr al-Jerouchi, chief of air operations for dissident general Khalifa Haftar.
A witness, who said he saw a parachute open before the crash, added that the warplane had just attacked Islamist positions.[eap_ad_2]
Weekend fighting in Benghazi, cradle of the 2011 revolution that ousted dictator Moamer Kadhafi, killed dozens of people, mostly soldiers.
Combat erupted Saturday when Islamists attacked the headquarters of a special forces unit near the city centre. One of the few regular army units located in Benghazi, it backs an anti-Islamist campaign launched by Haftar in May but has not placed itself under his command.Since May, clashes have taken place in Benghazi on an almost daily basis.[eap_ad_3]