Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/349229
MIRIAM DALLI AND JOHN PISANI A group of UK nationals was brought to Malta from Libya in an evacuation operation that follows fresh fights in Tripoli's main airport. The group arrived late yesterday afternoon. The "urgent evacuation", as de- scribed by informed sources, saw the arrival of 20 UK nationals who then were to catch commercial flights to their home country from Malta In- ternational Airport. The evacuees departed from Mitiga military airport just outside Tripoli on board a D8 plane. Sources did not rule out the pos- sibility of further evacuation opera- tions in the coming days. Meanwhile, a Buraq Air plane that was hit in the Tripoli violence was brought to Malta for repairs. The ar- rival of further Buraq Air planes is not excluded. Friday's clashes broke out just hours after the mayor of Tripoli announced that the rival militias had agreed to observe a truce and that control of the airport would be handed over to neutral forces. Gunfire and blasts were also heard in Abu Slim neighbourhood, just south of the airport, an AFP corre- spondent said, while residents said the battles pitched rival militias against each other. The renewed violence also came hours after Foreign Minister Mo- hammad Abdel-Aziz asked the United Nations for help to build up Libya's army and police to protect vital sites such as the airport. But a ceasefire agreed by armed groups battling to control Tripoli airport has held so far, despite oc- casional clashes, as mediators con- tinue to exert pressure on the com- batants. The agreement, announced two days ago, and brokered by Tripoli Local Council, brought to an end fighting at the airport between Zin- tani and Misratan-led armed bri- gades. The clashes have caused mil- lions of dinars worth of damage and killed dozens. Despite causing considerable ma- terial damage, the rockets which fell on Qasr Ben Ghashir, outside Tripoli, did not result in any civilian casualties. Zintani brigades had only at the last minute agreed to withdraw from the airport, having asserted up to that point they were an official force and under no obligation to go. One representative from the Misratan- led forces had said the ceasefire only applied to the airport itself and did not mean offensives could not be launched elsewhere. A neutral force from the Amazigh town of Jadu is set to arrive at the airport to secure it and all armed groups are ordered to return to their respective towns and cities as part of the ceasefire. The brigades have just under two weeks to leave. maltatoday, SUNDAY, 20 JULY 2014 News UK nationals evacuated from Libya before catching a commercial flight to their home country Libya evacuations: twenty Britons brought to Malta Meanwhile, a Buraq Air plane that was hit in Tripoli was brought to Malta for repairs, with more possibly on the way