The Libyan National Army (LNA) took control over al-Wigh airbase, a Saharan airbase near borders of Niger, Chad and Algeria, according to a Monday statement by Sobol Al-Salam Brigade.
In the past few years, Chadian gangs and terrorist groups occupied al-Wigh airbase, located at Al-Qatron region, 300 kilometers south of Sabha, since the Libyan authorities lost control over the base in 2012.
Regaining al-Wigh airbase came a few days after the LNA controlled strategic locations in Sabha, including Sabha International Airport and some military camps formerly seized by armed groups.
Al-Wigh was the center of a major controversy over claims made by news outlets that US military troops known as “Africom” are based in the Libyan airbase.
These claims were backed by leaked US documentaries, saying that around 36 “Africom” bases are found in 24 African countries, including Libya.
However, member of the House of Representatives (HoR) for Al-Qatron Saleh Qalma area denied in 2017 the rumors, saying that the airbase has not been in official use since 2011.
