 After Haftar gained power in eastern Libya, its part of the pro-LNA Libyan air force, made of MiG-21, MiG-23BN and MiG-23ML fighter jets, was actively restored and modernized by Egypt and UAE military, and pro-LNA air force conducted numerous air strikes on Islamist positions throughout eastern Libya, especially in Derna and Benghazi, during all of 2016 and 2017, but suffered heavy losses in aircraft and personnel in progress — one pro-LNA MiG-23ML fighter jets, serial number "6472", crashed due to technical problems on 4 January 2016 near Benghazi, at Benina air force base after returning from a bombing raid against Islamists; its pilot ejected safely (the Islamists claim that they shot it down).At the same time, using the captured equipment in al-Watiya air force base, pro-LNA forces started to bring back to active service several Su-22 bombers and Mirage F-1ED fighter jets in 2014 and 2015.A second pro-LNA MiG-23ML fighter jet, serial number "6132", was shot down on 8 February 2016 by the Islamists during its bombing raid on Islamist positions in the town of Derna (LNA claims it crashed due to technical problems), its pilot colonel Younes al-Dinali ejected safely.