First flight takes off from Tripoli's Maitigua airport after three-month interruption

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) - Flights resumed from Maitigua International Airport, on the eastern suburbs of Tripoli, on Thursday, after nearly three months of interruption.

According to a statement issued by the airport's management, a plane of the state-owned airline, Afriqiyah Airways, took off bound for the Istanbul international airport in Turkey.

The media centre at Maitigua airport announced last Tuesday that "flights to and from the airport will partially resume from Thursday, first with state airlines, Libyan Arab Airlines and Afriqiyah Airways, before flights, from next Sunday, of private airlines, Libyan Wings Airlines and Al-Buraq Airlines, followed by other airlines".

In October, the Minister of Communications of the Government of National Accord (GNA), Milad Maatoug, announced the gradual resumption of flights at Maitigua airport in a few weeks.

The UN Envoy to Libya, Ghassan Salamé, stressed after a visit in late October that there was no military use of the airport, and as a result, "there is no longer any justification for it being targeted again".

Matigua airport, the only operational airport in the city of Tripoli, had been closed since September after frequent airstrikes by troops of the Libyan National Army since its 4 April military offensive to remove the GNA, which has been recognised by the international community.

Flights were diverted to Misrata International Airport, 220 km from Tripoli, which was also bombed.

-0- PANA BY/JSG/BBA 12Dec2019