Rocket lands near Italian embassy as fighting in Tripoli intensifies

Dozens of people have been killed and many others injured in Libya amid fierce fighting by armed Militias.

According to the Human Rights Watch, four children were among those killed since clashes broke out in the southern suburbs of Tripoli on 26 August.

The fighting reached the heart of Tripoli on Friday night with a rocket aimed at al-Wadan hotel damaged the Italian Embassy which is located in the vicinity. 

The conflict also forced the closure of Mitiga airport after two rockets fell in the vicinity of the airport's control tower. The airport was evacuated and closed for 48 hours, pending further developments. Some flights have been temporarily transferred to Misrata airport. 

The fighting has displaced many migrants and refugees who are trapped in detention centres without food and water, with Doctors Without Borders saying on Friday that up to 8,000 migrants were at risk by being in the middle of what has essentially become a battlefield.

Reacting to the fighting, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said the government was following the situation in Libya with deep apprehension, insisting that the international community could not turn a blind eye and pretend it was not happening.

Violence reaches the heart of Tripoli in the night, damage and injuries for rockets to al-Wadan hotel near the Italian Embassy, Ben Ashour and other areas of Libyan capital #Libya #Tripoli https://t.co/SbV2fEG9zX

— Vanessa Tomassini (@VanessaTomass) September 1, 2018