Tunisia and Egypt cancel Libya flights amid unrest

The Tunisian ministry of transportation decided on Thursday to indefinitely suspend all flights from three Libyan cities for security reasons, Reuters news agency reported. Flights were cancelled from the cities of Mitiga, Misrata, and Sirte.

In addition, Cairo International Airport has cancelled all flights to and from Libya.

The Tunisian minister of transportation has instructed concerned authorities to secure the return of Libyan nationals to their country in accordance with international safety standards.

A source at the ministry told Anadolu that the cancellation of flights came at the request of the Libyan government.

In the same context, a Libyan news agency said that Cairo airport has cancelled all flights to and from Libya after Egypt’s airport authorities received notice from Libya’s aviation authorities that Libyan airspace was now closed.

The spokesperson of Misrata airport, Mohamed Ben Ismail, told Anadolu that Tunisian authorities have prevented the landing of any flights coming from Misrata airport.

Furthermore, the news agency cited unnamed government sources saying that the Libyan government has requested for both Egypt and Tunisia to stop dealing with Misrata airport, without clarifying the reasons.

The above developments come amidst intensified fighting between rival militias in Tripoli, in the west, and Benghazi, in the east. The government announced that unidentified fighter jets have attacked militant groups fighting for control of the capital in Tripoli.