Italy to Resume Commercial Flights to Libya Amid Ongoing Conflict, Confirm Officials

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In a significant development, Italy has agreed to restore commercial air travel to Libya, a country riddled with internal strife. Italy’s decision comes a decade after imposing a ban on civil aviation to the North African nation, according to a statement from one of Libya’s competing governments on Sunday.

Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah, the Prime Minister of the Tripoli-based Libyan government, confirmed the news via Twitter. He stated that his government was informed about this development by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration. He hailed the lifting of the ban as a “breakthrough”.

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This landmark decision followed a meeting between Italian and Libyan aviation officials in Libya’s capital, Tripoli. The officials convened to discuss the reinstatement of direct flights and ways to enhance bilateral cooperation, as per the Italian Embassy in Libya’s statement.

Libya, an oil-rich nation, descended into chaos after the 2011 NATO-backed uprising led to the overthrow and death of the longstanding dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The resulting power vacuum divided the nation into rival governments in the east and west, each backed by different militias and international supporters.

The turbulence led Italy and several other European nations to prohibit Libyan flights from entering their airspace.

For the past ten years, Libya has only been able to maintain direct flight connections with a few places, including cities in neighboring Egypt and Tunisia and some other Middle Eastern countries like Jordan.

A joint statement from the Libyan government indicated that starting from September, an airline from each country would commence operations, although the destination cities were not disclosed.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Italy-Libya flights resumption

More about Italy-Libya flights resumption

• Italy’s Previous Travel Restrictions on Libya
• Overview of Libya’s Post-Gadhafi Conflict
• Statement from Libya’s Prime Minister, Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah
• Libya’s Ongoing Conflict and Its Impact on Air Travel