Panafrican News Agency

US concerned with attacks against civilian aviation installations in Libya

Tripoli, Libya (PANA) – The US embassy in Libya on Monday warned against "attacks on the civil aviation installations in Libya", saying it is ‘’concerned with the fact that those attacks could have catastrophic consequences".

"In preliminary talks with the leaders of all parties – without attributing the responsibility of the attack to anyone -, the United States saw a high risk of intensification of the attacks against the civilian airports," said the new ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, quoted by the communiqué issued on its website.

"If there are civilian aircraft targeted, this represents a catastrophem"  added the US diplomat.

The air raids against the airports of the Libyan western regions carried out by the Libyan National Army have increased over the past few days, disrupting the air navigation and destroying the airport infrastructure. 

The Maitigua airport in Tripoli, hardly the only one targeted by the bombardments and Zaoura (130 kilometers of Tripoli) are the target of air strikes over the past few days, as well as that of Misrata (220 kilometers east of the country). 

The situation was denounced by the UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) which called for the preservation of civilian infrastructure and the respect of human rights and the international humanitarian right. 

The presidential council urged UNSMIL and the international community to assume their responsibilities to protect civilians by ending the attacks against airport infrastructure. 

-0- PANA BY/IS/MSA/VAO 19Aug2019