UN mission in Libya evacuated after increased violence

The UN has evacuated staff from its mission in Libya (UNSMIL) due to the security situation in the country, which has continued to deteriorate in recent days with about a dozen deaths over the weekend.

“Following the recent fighting on Sunday and because of the closure of the international airport in Tripoli, the mission concluded that it would not be possible to continue their work,” said UN spokesman, Farhan Haq, in a press conference.

The measure, according to the United Nations, is temporary and the staff will return ” as soon as security conditions permit.”

“The UN, which supported the Libyans in the revolution in 2011, will not abandon them as they seek to build a democratic state,” said the spokesman, who hoped that the mission can resume its cooperation with the authorities of the country soon.

UN had announced last week it had moved its employees due to the worsening conditions on the ground.

The evacuation of all personnel occurs after at least nine people were killed and over 20 were wounded in Sunday’s clashes in Tripoli airport zone between Islamist militants and the militia of Zintan, who control the facility. Because these attacks, the airport suspended flights until further notice.

Libya is, since the fall of the regime of Muammar Gaddafi, in a tense security situation that the transitional authorities have failed to solve and has been deteriorating in recent months to lead to a deep crisis.

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Posted by Khalil Khan on Jul 16 2014. Filed under Africa. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.