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Flights suspended at Libya airport after rocket fire
TRIPOLI, Aug 24, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Flights were temporarily suspended
Saturday at the Libyan capital’s sole functioning airport after it was hit by
a rocket as two civilian flights were landing, airport authorities said.
“Flights are suspended until further notice due to rocket fire,” the
Mitiga airport said on its Facebook page.
After a pause of several hours flights resumed around midday, airport
authorities announced in a later post.
Located east of Tripoli, Mitiga is a former military airbase that has been
used by civilian traffic since Tripoli international airport suffered severe
damage during fighting in 2014.
Authorities said a rocket hit just as two flights were landing — a Buraq
Air flight from Istanbul and a Libyan Airlines flight inbound from Medina in
Saudi Arabia carrying over 200 passengers, including pilgrims returning from
Mecca.
Mitiga has previously been targeted in fighting between the Tripoli-based
UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and forces loyal to eastern
Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar.
Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army launched an offensive on April 4
to conquer Tripoli.
The two sides have since been embroiled in a stalemate on the capital’s
southern outskirts and Haftar’s forces have allegedly repeatedly targeted
Mitiga.
The origin of Saturday’s rocket fire was not confirmed but the GNA
military operation “Volcano of Anger” blamed Haftar’s forces.
Images published on the “Volcano of Anger” Facebook page show the parking
lot sidewalk and cars damaged by the impact at the entrance to the airport
terminal.
The UN mission in Libya said it is concerned by the “growing frequency” of
these attacks, which have come close to hitting civilian aircraft.
Since April, the fighting has killed at least 1,093 people and wounded
5,752, while some 120,000 others have been displaced, according to the World
Health Organization.
Libya has been mired in chaos since a NATO-backed uprising that toppled
and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.
BSS/AFP/ARS/1714 hrs