Libyan military planes have begun conducting sweeps over the southern border, Libya Herald reported on Wednesday (December 19th). On Tuesday, a Libyan airstrike destroyed a suspected smugglers' camp close to the border with Chad and Sudan, not far from Kufra.

According to the military commander in Kufra, warplanes are monitoring the area from Chad to Al-Uwaynat and Jabal Al-Malik on the Egyptian border.

The air operations aim to prevent illegal entry into Libya, Colonel Miftah Al-Abdali added.

Libyan legislators on Sunday ordered the closure of the country's borders with Chad, Niger, Sudan and Algeria. The National Congress also declared martial law in the desert south.

Libya plans to establish one authorised border crossing with each of its four neighbours, army spokesman Ali al-Sheikhi told AFP. "Any person who enters or exits at other points will be considered an infiltrator," he added.