– ‘Practically cut off’ –
On Monday, Libya also suspended all flights to and from third city Misrata, west of the capital, which is dependent on Tripoli airport for its operations.
“Libya is now practically cut off from the outside world,” a source at the airport said.
At least 10 aircraft of Libya’s main carriers Afriqiyah Airways and Libyan Airlines were damaged in the fighting, a security official said.
An AFP photographer sighted several passenger aircraft on the tarmac riddled with bullets.
Sunday’s Tripoli airport attack was claimed by Islamist militias determined to oust the Zintan group from key sites it controls in south of the capital, including the airport.
The attack was beaten off, but there were also clashes at other Zintan-controlled sites for several hours, especially on the road to the airport.
Libya has been awash with weapons since the NATO-backed uprising three years ago that toppled and killed Gadhafi.
Successive interim governments in Tripoli have struggled to establish a strong army and police force, giving former rebel groups a free hand to act.
The well-armed and disciplined Zintan militia has sided with well-armed forces loyal to renegade former general Khalifa Haftar who launched an offensive against Islamist militias in second city Benghazi in mid-May.
– Calls for dialogue –
Libya’s neighbours – Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Niger, Sudan and Tunisia – issued a call for dialogue on Monday.
They agreed at talks near Tunis to set up twin commissions to broker talks and attempt to prevent any spillover of violence.
Delegates underlined the need to “resolve (the problem of) pockets of terrorism in Libya, which are a source of concern for Libya and the countries in the immediate vicinity”.
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