BFF-50 Rockets target airport despite fragile truce in Libya capital

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LIBYA-CONFLICT

Rockets target airport despite fragile truce in Libya capital

TRIPOLI, Sept 12, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – The Libyan capital’s only working
airport has come under rocket fire just days after reopening following a UN-
backed ceasefire between rival armed groups vying for influence in the oil-
rich country.

The Tuesday night attack underscored the fragility of the latest peace push
in the North African nation, which has been beset by turmoil since the fall
of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

There was no immediate claim of responsibility after at least three rockets
hit the perimeter of Mitiga International Airport on the eastern outskirts of
Tripoli without causing any casualties.

Flights were diverted to Misrata, some 200 kilometres (120 miles) east of
the capital, an airport source said.

Mitiga airport had only reopened on Friday after it was forced to close for
a week because of deadly clashes between rival militias in and around
Tripoli.

The fighting has killed at least 63 people and wounded 159 others — mostly
civilians — since August 27, dousing hopes of elections being held this
year.

A ceasefire announced on September 4 has largely been respected but
witnesses reported brief clashes in the south of the capital on Tuesday
night.

Thousands of families have fled the violence to nearby towns or have had to
seek shelter in other districts of Tripoli, authorities have said.

Several rockets had already struck near the airport last month, forcing
authorities to divert all flights to Misrata on that occasion too.

– Battle for influence –

A UN-brokered agreement signed in Morocco in December 2015 establishing a
Government of National Accord (GNA) for Libya brought hopes of an easing of
the chaos that followed the 2011 revolution.

But divisions remain between the unity government in Tripoli and rivals
including military strongman Khalifa Haftar who is based in the east and
refuses to recognise the GNA’s authority.

Tripoli has been at the centre of a battle for influence between armed
groups with shifting allegiances since Kadhafi was overthrown and killed.

Mitiga airport, a former military air base, has been a civilian airport
since Tripoli’s main international airport was badly damaged in fighting
between rival militias in 2014.

Since then only Libyan airlines have operated in the country, running
internal flights and regular connections to a handful of countries, including
Tunisia and Turkey.

Libyan airlines are banned from European Union airspace for “security
reasons”.

Jihadist groups and people traffickers have taken advantage of the chaos in
Libya to gain a foothold.

Despite being driven in December 2016 from its main fiefdom of Sirte, east
of the capital, the Islamic State group continues to carry out deadly
attacks.

IS claimed responsibility on Tuesday for a suicide attack a day earlier
against the headquarters of Libya’s National Oil Corporation which killed two
employees.

Three attackers died in the assault on the NOC’s offices, IS said in a
statement published by the US-based SITE Intelligence Group which tracks
extremists.

That attack came four months after the headquarters of the country’s
electoral commission in the capital was hit by IS suicide bombers, killing 14
people.

BSS/AFP/ARS/1650 hrs