French Ambassador to Libya Summoned Over Military Presence

“There are no (foreign) pilots fighting in the place of our pilots and fighters”, he said.

“The bodies bear shots to the head which could mean they were executed”, said the doctor, who spoke on condition of anonymity.

“We call on all the Libyan people to mobilize and defend their (Muslim) religion… and expel” all foreign troops from Libya, a statement said.

French officials did not respond to earlier requests for comment on the reported bombings by a French warplane.

Benghazi has seen bloody battles for more than two years between forces loyal to the internationally-recognised parliament and armed groups, including the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group (ISIL, also known as ISIS).

Security officials in Benghazi have made no comment on the matter.

Hollande on Wednesday said three French soldiers were killed during a mission to gather intelligence in Libya.

He claimed the fight against the militias was going well, saying the “the enemy retreated after heavy losses in their ranks” and was now “cowering in the desert”.

Libya fell into chaos after Western airstrikes — including by France — drove out dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011.

However, the new government has been facing multiple challenges and resistance from various groups.

Condemnations of French military activity in Libya were also voiced by leaders of the unity government’s army general staff, the country’s grand mufti and spokesmen for Libya’s Muslim Brotherhood group.

“France encourages all Libyan forces to be placed under the authority” of the U.N.-backed unity government in Tripoli, Nadal added.

On Wednesday, demonstrations held to protest French military activity in the country were held in the Libyan cities of Zawiya, Sabratha, Misurata and Gharyan, along with capital Tripoli. Al-Sadeq al-Ghariyani, an ultraconservative cleric, denounced France’s involvement as “foreign invasion”.