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Italy evacuates 15 wounded Libyans

Libya

Following last week’s truck bomb attack at a police training centre in Mistrata, Libya, Italy on Monday evacuated 15 Libyans for medical treatment.

Italian government sent a C-130 transport plane to the port city of Misrata to take the wounded to a military hospital in Rome. Official reports said some others were taken to other Italian hospitals.

“This operation is a concrete gesture of solidarity and attention by Italy for the Libyan people at a particularly delicate moment for the stabilization of the country”

Italian police checked the passports of the wounded as the plane arrived at Rome’s airport on Monday.They were then taken in military ambulances to hospital.

Reuters Italy evacuates 15 Libyans wounded in bomb attack: ROME (Reuters) - Italy evacuated 15 Libyans on Mon... https://t.co/iVw4k5aNGF

— Glenn Quagmire ☣ (Angelus1701) January 11, 2016

However, Islamic State (IS) militants on Friday (January 8) claimed responsibility for the bombing .

The attack killed at least 47 people and wounded more than 100, making it the worst of such attack since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Italy and other Western powers have been pushing Libya’s factions to back a U.N.-brokered plan for a national unity government to join forces against Islamic State militants. However, the agreement faces major resistance from several factions on the ground.

Since a NATO-backed revolt ousted Gaddafi, Libya has descended into turmoil. Two rival governments and a range of armed factions are locked in a struggle for control of the OPEC state and its oil wealth.

Islamic State militants have grown in strength, targeting Tripoli, the capital, and oil infrastructure, including the shelling of two major oil export terminals in the east last week.

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