TEMPO.CO, Tripoli - International Airports in Tunisia and Egypt have temporarily halted flights to and from Libya since Thursday due to the escalating conflict in Tripoli. As reported by Reuters yesterday, Tunisia and Egypt had been operating flights to Libya on an almost daily basis. However, since the main airport in Libya was turned into a battlefield, at least 20 aircrafts, tower and runway at the airport have been damaged.

Currently, Libya is forced to use Matiga airport that is relatively smaller than the main airport in Tripoli to house civilians. When flying into Matiga, passengers often see smoke rising from battles in and around the airport.

Rebel groups who once united to topple Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, are now attacking each other, spreading chaos to the oil-producing country in Africa. However, flights from Tunisia and Alexandria port city in Egypt to Labraq and Tobruk, Libyan eastern towns, were still operational.

Meanwhile in Tripoli, two groups from the city of Zintan and Mistara have been fighting each other to control the Capital of Libya. The current crisis in Libya has been the worst since the last bloody conflict when Gaddafi was toppled from his presidential post in 2011. The United Nations and several countries have withdrawn their ambassadors and citizens from Libya.

REUTERS | VIQINSAH DENNIS