Tunisia recloses airspace to Libyan civil aircraft for ‘security reasons’

Tunisia reclosed its airspace to Libyan civilian aircraft on Tuesday for “security reasons”, just one week after it was reopened. According to the Ministry of Transportation in Tunis, international safety standards cannot be met, hence the ban on Libyan flights.

The Director of Civil Aviation in Tunisia, Hatem Almatamri, told Anadolu that requests for the closure came from the interior ministry as well as from Libyan officials. The initial ban on flights from Libya using Tunisian airspace began last August. On 17 March, however, flights from Mitiga and Misratah in the west of Libya, and Sirte in central Libya, were allowed to cross into Tunisian airspace.

Libya is experiencing security issues with two governments fighting for power. The interim government led by Abdullah Al-Thani takes its legitimacy from the House of Representatives in Tobruk, in the east of Libya, while the rival “rescue government” is built around the National Conference led by Omar Hassi and is based in Tripoli, in the west of the country.