Libya’s Transportation Ministry obliges UN envoy to fly via under-fire Mitiga Airport

BY Libyan Express Aug 04, 2019 - 18:55

The Libyan Transportation Ministry’s deputy Hesham Boshakwat said the ministry will close the Airport of Zuwara city starting Sunday (August 04, 2019) and thus urged the UN envoy Ghassan Salame and UNSMIL officials to fly via Mitiga Airport like all Libyans.

The decision comes after the controversy and anger stirred by Salame’s briefing at the Security Council, where he said that the airport, which is civilian, was probably used for military purposes by the Government of National Accord and that is why Khalifa Haftar’s forces were bombing it.

The deputy minister urged Salame not to be political when he tackles issues related to the lives of the civilians who are using Mitiga Airport for travel.

He told Libya Al-Ahrar TV Saturday that the Ministry of Transportation did not offer an invitation to the UNSMIL to visit the airport, but it is now offering him and his deputy for political affairs Stephenie Williams to visit the airport.

The deputy minister told Al-Ahrar TV that insurance companies started to refuse to cover the cost of the damage done to Libyan airports as they are under constant attacks.

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