Eastern Libya Force's MiG-21 Jet Shot Down By Missile Over Derna Port City

A MiG-21 fighter jet from General Khalifa Haftar's east Libyan militants has been shot down during bombing raid on Derna, a port city of the country.

Apart from that two of its crews have been detained. The MiG-21 was downed by a missile during an air raid on the east Libyan city, held by a militia cothe Majlis Shura Mujahideen Derna, Reuters News Agency reported Saturday.

Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA) has been fighting a long campaign against terrorists in eastern Libya, as well against the UN-recognised government in Tripoli. Field Marshal Khalifa Belqasim Haftar is a Libyan military officer and the head of the LNA, currently engaged in the Second Libyan Civil War. 

Derna, which has a history of militancy, is a target for LNA forces, supported by neighbouring Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, as part of Haftar's self-declared war on Islamist militants.

"A MiG-21 fighter was shot down by a missile after the aircraft carried out an airstrike targeting militants," LNA Spokesman Naser Hassi said.

Besieged Derna has been the occasional target of Haftar airstrikes, along with other bombing raids by the Egyptian airforce who support the former Muammar Gaddafi loyalist. Besides, UAE and Egyptian military support, Haftar is also receiving Israeli aid.

Islamist militias and former anti-Gaddafi rebel groups formed a militia known as the Majlis Shura Mujahideen and occupy Derna which lies around 200 miles east of Benghazi.

Egyptian fighter planes launched air strikes on Derna in May following an attack on Christian pilgrims in Egypt, claiming the militants who carried out the massacre were Libyan. But the move of Egypt was Criticized by many saying that the strikes were meant to help Haftar rather than punish militants responsible for the Egypt attacks.