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India calls upon its citizens to leave Tripoli immediately

NEW DELHI, April 19 (KUNA) -- Indian Minister of External Affairs Sushma Swaraj on Friday urged all Indians citizens, who are still residing in the conflict-stricken Libyan capital city of Tripoli, to leave for home immediately. "Even after massive evacuation from Libya and the travel ban, there are over 500 Indian nationals in Tripoli, she wrote on her Twitter account. "The situation in Tripoli is deteriorating fast. Presently, flights are operational. Please ask your relatives and friends to leave Tripoli immediately. We will not be able to evacuate them later," she said. India had evacuated earlier this month a peacekeeping contingent comprising 15 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force of India deployed in Tripoli as peacekeepers. It is remembered that armed conflict gripped the Libyan capital following resistance of forces loyal to the internationally-recognized Government of National Accord to a military operation led by Libyan National Army (LNA) Commander Khalifa Haftar to control Tripoli.
The conflict, which drew international denunciation, has so far claimed more than 200 people in the last two weeks and injured hundreds while thousands were forced to flee the country. (end) atk.gb