204 Indians return from Libya

New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) With 204 Indians returning Thursday and a flight with another 216 leaving Friday, about 1,500 Indians are to leave the strife-torn areas of Libya by the end of this week.

External affairs ministry spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin Thursday said: "Following the return of 204 Indian nationals today who have been brought back from Libya by a special Air India flight from Djerba (Tunisia), another Air India flight will bring back 216 Indians tomorrow."

"By the end of the week, it is expected that 1,500 Indian nationals would have been moved from the strife-stricken areas of Libya," Akbaruddin added.

The government had told the Lok Sabha Wednesday that the Indian embassy in Tripoli has been issuing regular advisories to Indians, giving an update on the security situation while advising them to avoid conflict areas and to exit Libya with the facilitation of the embassy.

The first batch of 44 Kerala nurses, evacuated from Libya, arrived in Kerala Tuesday morning.

Libya has of late been seeing a violent power struggle among rival groups — the worst since fall of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. Rival militias have been fighting near the Tripoli international airport, attempting to take control of it.