The Syrian Civil Aviation Authority has announced the start of non-scheduled flights from Mitiga International Airport in Libya’s capital, Tripoli, to Damascus International Airport beginning next Sunday. The service will be operated by Syrian Airlines in response to requests from the Syrian expatriate community in Libya.
According to the authority, the initial phase will be limited to one-way flights from Tripoli to Damascus. Arrangements for regular two-way operations will follow at a later stage.
Speaking at a press conference last week, Authority Chairman Ashhad Al-Sulibi outlined a plan to resume direct air links between Syria and Libya from next week. The schedule includes flights from Damascus to both Tripoli and Benghazi, as well as from Aleppo to the same destinations. The initiative aims to reconnect Syria with its overseas communities and strengthen ties with friendly nations to support recovery and reconstruction efforts.
Al-Sulibi noted that a Syrian delegation recently visited Tripoli to assess the conditions of the Syrian community, which numbers over 150,000 people spread across eastern and western Libya. The visit also prepared the ground for reopening the Syrian embassy in Tripoli, followed by the opening of a consulate in Benghazi.
During the visit, the delegation processed around 8,000 consular transactions, including passport extensions and the issuance of temporary travel documents.
Mohammed Jaffal, Deputy Director of the Arab Affairs Department at Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, expressed gratitude to Libya’s Government of National Unity for waiving fines for Syrian nationals—both residents and those departing the country—until the end of 2025. He stressed that the decision would help strengthen the community’s ties with their homeland.