By Libya Herald reporters.
Tripoli, 16 April 2017:
Tripoli’s Mitiga airport came to a standstill today when passport officers went on strike after one of their colleagues was reportedly beaten up by gunmen last night.
The strike, which lasted until just after midday, followed a late night attack by ten gunmen on a passport officer. The strikers claimed that their colleague had been severely beaten by members of a militia which is paid by the Government of National Accord (GNA) interior ministry to guard the airport. They did not name the militia.
They demanded that the government get a grip on security at the airport. Ten days ago immigration officials at Mitiga quit in protest at what they said were the smuggling and extortion rackets being run by gunmen.
This morning, frustrated crowds built up in both the arrival and departure halls of the airport before passport officer agreed to return to their work.
