The situation in Libya’s capital Tripoli is deteriorating due to ceaseless violence, External Affairs Minister of India Sushma Swaraj on Friday said that over 500 Indians are stuck at that place and urged them to leave the city immediately.
The minister said that if the Indians stranded in the Libyan capital do not leave immediately, then it may not be possible to evacuate them later.
More than 200 people were killed in Tripoli in the last two weeks since renegade Libyan military commander Khalifa Haftar’s troops launched a strike to oust United Nations-backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj from power.
Swaraj tweeted, “Even after massive evacuation from Libya and the travel ban, there are over 500 Indian nationals in Tripoli. The situation in Tripoli is deteriorating fast. Presently, flights are operational.
Even after massive evacuation from Libya and the travel ban, there are over 500 Indian nationals in Tripoli. The situation in Tripoli is deteriorating fast. Presently, flights are operational. /1 PL RT
— Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 19, 2019
“Pls ask your relatives and friends to leave Tripoli immediately. We will not be able to evacuate them later,” she said on Twitter.
Pls ask your relatives and friends to leave Tripoli immediately. We will not be able to evacuate them later. /2 Pls RT
— Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) April 19, 2019
Ever since the ouster and assassination of Muammar Gaddafi, Libya has been in a state of civil war for the past eight years with multiple factions led by different military leaders raising rebellions and claiming authority in different parts of the country.
