Egypt renews warning against travel to Libya

Ahram Online, Monday 18 Aug 2014

All Egyptians fleeing Libya through Tunisia have returned home, claims diplomatic source

Libya - Egypt
Egyptians cross from Libya to Egypt through the Saloum land port gate on Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2011. (Photo: AP)

The foreign ministry has renewed its calls for Egyptians to avoid travel to unsafe areas of Libya and for expatriates to keep away from clashes, Al-Ahram Arabic news website reported.

All Egyptians fleeing Libya through Tunisia have arrived home, a diplomatic source told Al-Ahram Arabic news website.

The government has been facilitating the departure of Egyptian workers fleeing the violence in Libya. 

The governor of Matrouh governorate, which borders Libya, said last week that nearly 50,000 Egyptians – almost 4,000 per day – have arrived at the Salloum border crossing in the last month.

The International Organisation for Migration estimates that between 330,000 and 1.5 million Egyptians worked in Libya until the ongoing unrest that began with the NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The number of Egyptian expats has dwindled since, although it is not clear how many Egyptians remain in the country.

The security situation in Libya has worsened notably in the last few weeks as rival militias battle for control. Fighting at the capital's international airport has left dozens dead and hundreds wounded.

 

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