A Sudanese military airlifter carrying ammunition and military equipment was caught in Libya's southern city of Kufra, presenting a concrete evidence that Sudan was supporting the warring Islamist fighters, Libyan local media reported on Sunday.

The warplane was bound for Tripoli's Mitiga airport, which is under the control of the Islamist armed group Libya Dawn. It was captured by local militias during its refueling stop last Thursday in the Libyan desert oasis Kufra near the border to Sudan.

The Libyan government, now exiled in eastern town of Tobruk, issued a statement accusing Sudan of trying to supply the Islamist armed groups with ammunition, attempting to interfere with Libya's affairs.

Tripoli on Saturday expelled Sudan's military attache and condemned that the warplane entered into Libya airspace without permission.

However, the Sudanese government said the incident was nothing but a "misunderstanding," adding that the ammunition was for a joint border force to combat smuggling and human trafficking.

Since May, Libya has been seeing bloody clashes between armed Islamist groups and pro-secular militias. It seems that the Islamist has gained the momentum with Tripoli and controlled most parts of Benghazi.

After the 2011 turmoil which toppled its former leader Muammar Gaddafi, the North African country has rapidly become an arena for regional powers vying for political influence.

Earlier reports suggested that Qatar also supplied loads of ammunition to the Islamist fighters in Tripoli, while Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) had launched air raids backing the pro-secular militias.

However, Cairo has denied that it has anything to do with the airstrikes, while the UAE has not openly acknowledged its involvement. Endi

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