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TRIPOLI. — Commercial flights in Libya’s Benghazi’s international airport (Benina) has officially reopened after a three-year closure, amid heavy security presence.

The airport had been closed due to fighting in the city in the summer of 2014. The first outward bound flights from Benina Airport were to the capital, Tripoli, to Amman, Jordan, and to the south-eastern Libyan city of Kufra.

Flights are also scheduled to and from Tunis, Istanbul, Alexandria, and the western Libyan city of Zintan.

“The treatment is good and it’s close. Before we used to have to go Al Abraq International Airport which is far from Benghazi. Now it is easier to go to Tripoli from Benina Airport,” said passenger Ahmed Mahmoud Elmehdawy.

Director of the Benina airport, Abdallah Alshafeey said though some equipment is missing, the facilities are 90 percent ready .

He promised the airport will be perfect after receiving the equipment. The current flights at the airport are operated by two state-owned companies, Afriqiyah Airways and Libyan Airlines.

In recent months, some cargo flights and official flights had already been flying from Benina.

Flights have since operated out of the smaller Mitiga Airport near the centre of the capital since Tripoli’s international airport was badly damaged by fighting in 2014. — Africa News.