http://www.libyaobserver.ly/news/eastern-government-suspends-sudan-flights
Eastern government suspends Sudan flights
February 06, 2016
The eastern government of Abdullah Al-Thanni has decided to suspend air flights to and from Sudan until further notice.
The Ministry of Interior in the government said flights between the airports in the eastern region of Libya and Sudan would be suspended on February 28 for security reasons.
Libyan airports in the western region would no be affected by the decision as they are out of control of Al-Thanni government.
Relations between Al-Thanni government and Khartoum have strained due to the arrest of Sudan Consul in Benghazi in April by an armed group affiliated to Haftar after the Foreign Ministry of the government accused him of suspicious activities in the eastern region.
The arrest of the Sudanese diplomat was followed by a wave of accusations to Sudan of interfering in domestic affairs and being an ally to Tripoli government, while Khartoum accused Al-Thanni government of supporting Darfur rebels.
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http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article57929
Flight Ban: Sudan says was not officially notified of Libyan decision
February 6, 2016 (KHARTOUM) - Sudan’s foreign ministry said it hasn’t received an official notification from Libya’s internationally recognised government based in Tobruk regarding its decision to stop air flights with Sudan.
Sudan is accused by the official government of supporting Libyan Islamists government based in Tripoli, as reports say Jihadist fighters from Sudan and other African countries are joining the Libyan chapter of the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Daesh group.
On Thursday, a spokesman for the Libyan Interior Ministry, Colonel Abdul Hakim al-Obeidi said that the interior minister instructed to stop flights to and from Sudan for security reasons with effect from 28 February 2016.
However, Sudan’s foreign ministry spokesperson Ali al-Sadiq said in press statements Saturday that the Libyan government hasn’t officially notified Sudan about its decision to stop flights between the two countries.
He pointed that Sudan is a neighbouring country that is being affected by what is happening in Libya, adding his country is ready to participate in all efforts aimed at resolving the Libyan crisis.
“Until now we haven’t received a notification from the legitimate government based in Tobruk banning flights between the two countries by the end of February,” he said.
Al-Sdiq described relations between Sudan and Libya as “normal”, saying the foreign minister Ibrahim Ghandour welcomed the recent agreement between the Libyan warring parties.
He added that Ghandour stressed the need to support Libya in its fight against terrorist groups, pointing to importance for accelerating the formation of a national unity government.
The Sudanese diplomat was referring to a U.N.-brokered agreement reached by the competing governments in the troubled country to form a national unity government regional and international powers hope it will bring stability and help to combat a growing Islamic State presence in the north African country.
He further pointed to Sudan’s effective participation in the meeting of the international liaison group on the Libyan issue on the sidelines of the recent African summit in Addis Ababa.
(ST)
Received on Sat Feb 06 2016 - 17:45:53 EST