Air traffic has been suspended in eastern Libya due to a strong sandstorm

Air traffic was suspended today in eastern Libya due to a strong sandstorm coming from the Sahara, which also caused public services and educational institutions to temporarily close their gates, according to local authorities.

Aircraft take-off and landing have been suspended until further notice at all airports in the region, mainly at Benina in Benghazi where the runway has been covered by a thick layer of sand, according to images broadcast by local media.

“All flights to and from Benina airport have been suspended due to poor visibility and adverse weather conditions,” said Saleh al-Amrouniairport manager on the television network al-Masar.

Libya, which has been plunged into chaos since the fall of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, is run by two rival governments: one in Tripoli (western Libya) under UN-recognised Abdelhamid Dbeiba, the other in eastern Libya , represented by Parliament and associated with the marshal’s camp Khalifa Haftar. As of Sunday, eastern Libyan authorities had decided that today and tomorrow, Tuesday, would be a “holiday for all public services due to bad weather conditions,” according to national news agency Lana News.