All flights to Tripoli diverted due to shelling

SANAA, March 4 (YPA) – Officials in the only airport operating in Libyan capital, Tripoli, said on late Tuesday that all flights have been diverted to Misrata due to shelling in the area, after fighting escalated in recent days.

Rockets and shelling by Haftar’s forces increased towards Maitika airport late last week, after UN efforts to bring the warring parties in Geneva failed to make any progress.

UN Special Envoy Ghassan Salame announced his resignation on Monday.

The rocket fire has repeatedly closed The Maitiqa airport in recent days, flights have been suspended most of Tuesday, and a military source in the Eastern Forces said Turkish facilities there have been targeted.

On Sunday, Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha told Reuters that the government will soon turn from defense to attack in order to keep Haftar’s forces out of the capital.

The UN mission in Libya condemned the continuing violations of the truce announced on January 12th, most recently the repeated shelling of Haftar militias over the past two days at Maitika airport and areas in Tripoli.

Haftar’s violations of the Turkish-Russian-Initiated ceasefire continue, in defiance of a Security Council resolution calling for compliance.

Since 4 April 2019, Haftar’s forces have launched an offensive to take control of Tripoli, the seat of the Al-Wefaq government, which Haftar disputes over legitimacy and power.

E.M