The spokesman for Khalifa Haftar’s militias Ahmed Al-Mismari has announced in a presser that they will target and shoot down civilian planes if they land in or take off from Mitiga Airport in Tripoli.
On Wednesday, Al-Mismari said their militias had started already with the no-fly zone in Tripoli.
“We’re going to destroy any plane that violates the no-fly zone in the capital whether it is a civilian or military aircraft.” Al-Mismari threatened.
Libya’s Mitiga Airport in Tripoli announced Wednesday the suspension of flights until a further notice and redirecting the flights to Misrata Airport starting Thursday.
Mitiga Airport is the only operational civilian airport in Tripoli and is used by hundreds of thousands of people for travel. Haftar’s militias have been attacking the airport with airstrikes and shelling over the nine months as part of their attack on Tripoli.
After a long suspension due to the recurrent attacks by Haftar’s militias, Mitiga Airport reopened its doors and resumed flights on January 12 as both the Government of National Accord and Haftar announced commitment to the ceasefire.
On Wednesday afternoon, the spokesman for Libya’s Army Mohammed Gununu has said that Khalifa Haftar’s militias have shelled Mitiga Airport in Tripoli with six Grad rockets so far this afternoon in a direct threat to air traffic.
