The east Libyan faction that launched an assault on Tripoli last month said it had shot down and captured a European mercenary flying an attack jet for the internationally recognized government.

The Libyan National Army, which fighting rivals militias allied with the country's UN-supported government, said it shot down a fighter jet the man was flying south of the capital on Monday.

The media unit of the LNA released photographs and video of a wounded man being interrogated in English on Tuesday afternoon. One picture showed an LNA commander, Abdulsalam al-Hassi, standing behind him.

In footage published by pro-LNA media, the man gives name that sounds like "Jimmy Reese." He says he is 29 years old, from Portugal, and that he was flying on a "civilian contract" to "destroy roads and bridges."

Asked who recruited him, he said he signed a contract with a man called Hadi but did not know his second name.