French missiles found on a base used by Libya's Khalifa Haftar. (Representational Image)

The French defence ministry said Wednesday that its missiles had been found on a base used by forces loyal to Libya's Khalifa Haftar, but it denied supplying them to the rebels which would be a breach of a UN arms embargo.

It said the US-made Javelin missiles found in a camp south of Tripoli had been given to French forces operating in the war-torn country, but were defective and were meant to have been destroyed.

"They were not transferred to local forces," a statement from the ministry said.