Pinoys in Libya alerted as fighting seen to intensify in next days, PHL envoy says

Filipinos in Libya were advised to be prepared as the armed battle between the government and rebel forces over the capital city Tripoli is expected to intensify, a Philippine envoy said on Wednesday.
"We attended the meeting kanina, ang sinasabi magiging more intense yung labanan in the next few days dahil maraming reinforcement ng both sides na dumarating at heavy weapons,” Elmer Cato, Charge d'Affaires of the Philippine Embassy to Libya, said in his interview on GMA News TV's News To Go.
Cato said they have been telling the Filipino community to stay ready as the armed conflict could escalate quickly even if they do not feel the tension in their respective areas yet.
According to Cato, the situation in Tripoli is in fact normal despite the intense fighting happening a few kilometers away from the city.
“Umikot kami to check the situation. Dito sa Tripoli mismo, mukhang normal. Traffic was normal. Stores are open. Business as usual,” he said.
The tension escalated after the Libyan National Army led by Khalifa Hifter clashed with rival military of the United Nations-backed government in Libya to take control over Tripoli.
Due to this, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) raised Alert Level III in Libya.
Cato said they have been advising the Filipino community to take voluntary repatriation, but only 11 requests for repatriation were received by their office as of Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Cato said that no Filipinos have been reported killed amid the ongoing conflict in Libya. — Joviland Rita/MDM, GMA News

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