Rockets Hit Tripoli Airport, 90 Percent Planes Destroyed
19 October 2018 19:47 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Tripoli – Several rockets hit the airport in the Libyan capital of Tripoli on Monday night, destroying 90 percent of the planes parked there. The government said the strike might have been caused by clashes between groups that have been raging since Sunday.
"The government has studied the possibility to bring international forces to enhance security,” said Libyan government spokesman Ahmed Lamine as reported by Al-Jazeera on Tuesday.
Two people were also killed in the attack and authorities have closed the airport since Sunday due to the fighting.
The clashes occurred between Misrata and Zintan armed group, which has been in control of the airport since the fall of Gaddafi. Seven people were killed in the fighting.
In the eastern city of Benghazi, at least six people were killed and 25 wounded in the fighting between security forces and militias on Sunday. Around 10 houses were hit with missiles and government offices were forced to close.
The government has deployed special forces to fight back the militias in Libyan cities. UN officials in Libya have also been ordered to move temporarily because of the deteriorating security in the country.
RINDU P. HESTYA | AL-JAZEERA