Tripoli airport suspends flights after coming under fire

Rocket fire forced the suspension of all flights into and out of Tripoli's sole functioning airport on Jan. 22, only nine days after it reopened following a truce, Libya's embattled U.N.-recognised government said.

Mitiga airport had reopened after the truce in nine months of fighting for control of the capital between the Government of National Accord (GNA) and forces loyal to a Gen. Khalifa Haftar based in the east.

Six military-grade Grad rockets targeted the airport in what GNA forces spokesman Mohammed Gnunu branded a "flagrant threat" to the safety of air traffic and a "new violation" of the ceasefire.

On Jan. 12, the conflict parties announced a cease-fire in response to a joint call by the Turkish and Russian leaders. But the talks for a permanent cease-fire deal ended without an agreement after Haftar left Moscow without signing the deal.

On Jan. 19, Haftar accepted in Berlin to designate members to a U.N.-proposed military commission with five members from each side to monitor implementation of the cease-fire.

But reports said on Jan. 21 that forces loyal to Haftar once again violated the fragile cease-fire with the UN-recognized government, firing mortar shells on southern areas of the capital.