MANILA, Philippines – Filipinos must be cautious when using the Mitiga International Airport for traveling to other areas in Libya due to shelling incidents there, the Philippine Embassy in Tripoli said on Friday.
“The Embassy of the Philippines in Tripoli would like to advise members of the Filipino Community who are planning to travel abroad or to other parts of Libya about the risks they would be exposing themselves to as a result of the almost daily shelling of the Mitiga International Airport,” the embassy said in a statement.
The Embassy noted that shelling incidents have caused suspension of flight operations and endangered the lives of hundreds of civilians using the only functioning airport in Tripoli, Libya.
The embassy added that Filipinos may expect flight delays and cancelations as shelling incidents continue to occur.
“They should anticipate delays or even cancellations of their scheduled flights and prepare themselves for the possibility of shelling incidents while checking in and waiting to board their flight at the terminal; while on their way to board their flight at the tarmac; and while the aircraft is taxiing, preparing to take off, taking off or landing,” the Embassy said.
Chargé d’Affaires Elmer Cato told INQUIRER.net in a viber message that over 1,000 Filipinos in Tripoli are using Mitiga International Airport when traveling abroad for vacations.
“Some of the more than 1,000 Filipinos in Tripoli are also using Mitiga to travel abroad for their vacations. They cannot go home to the Philippines because they are covered by travel restrictions under Alert Level IV,” Cato said.
Cato also said the airport is also being used by “inbound and outbound Filipinos from other parts of Libya that are not under Alert Level IV.”
With this, Cato noted that Filipinos may be prevented from returning to Libya if they decide to travel to the Philippines.
In May this year, the DFA declared Alert Level 4 or mandatory repatriation, in the Libyan capital of Tripoli and in nearby areas due to the ongoing violent activities there.
READ: DFA tells Filipinos in Tripoli, nearby areas: Leave now