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| Africa North |
| Qatar Airways suspends Benghazi flights |
| 2013-06-14 |
| [Libya Herald] Qatar Airways has suspended flights between Benghazi and Doha following an incident yesterday at Benghazi's Benina Airport when protestors prevented non-Libyan passengers arriving from Doha from going through passport control. Said to be mostly Bangladeshis, they were forced to fly back to Qatar. Libyan passengers heading to Doha were also reported prevented from flying. According to a member of Benghazi Local Council who did not want to be named, the protestors were members of the Ezzedine Al-Waqwaq brigade. He said they accused Qatar of interfering in Libya's internal affairs and threatened to shoot at Qatar Airways aircraft if they flew in again. The Libya Herald has also been told that the pilot of the plane was personally told not to fly in again. Al-Waqwaq is prominent federalist linked to Cyrenaica Military Council. He lives near the airport. Speaking on TV, another councillor, Garah Al-Khafifa, called for rapid intervention from the army and police to ensure the airport's safety. The head of the airport, Jamal Al Aqali, has said that the protestors were unarmed. He was also quoted in some of the local media as saying that his administration did not know who the protestors were but that the suspension would continue until security in the airport was assured. |
| Posted by:Fred |