A source told 218News that a Libyan Airlines plane took off from Mitiga airport in Tripoli and headed to Istanbul airport in Turkey, with a number of Turkish and Syrian mercenaries on board, as well as four Libyans from the Ministry of Defense, who were going for the purpose of joining a business course there.
The source added that the Syrian and Turkish mercenaries exited Gate B9 for the passage of senior visitors and were transported directly to the plane without being subject to the procedures of inspecting bags or obtaining the exit stamp on their personal passports, which are the procedures followed in cases of departure for any flights from the airport.
Among the mercenaries who returned on the flight that left Tripoli are some elements who left as their contracts to fight in Libya ended and did not want to renew them, while others went to Turkey to be replaced by other mercenary fighters, according to the source.
The source told 218News confirmed that the bags belonging to the Syrian mercenaries and the accompanying Turks are loaded with weapons, which is the reason behind their smuggling through the airport without security checks and without formal departure procedures.
According to the same source, members of the Special Deterrence Force took charge of securing this flight, which carries some of the Libyans who work at the Military Attaché in Istanbul, stressing that the flight is not included in the schedule of departure flights from Tripoli to Istanbul.
