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More Gambians, other nationals evacuated from Libya

Mar 15, 2011, 12:00 PM | Article By: Momodou Faal

As the situation in violence-rocked Libya remains uncertain, more and more Gambians continue to arrive home as part of a special chartered flight sent by the Gambia government to evacuate them.

The latest arrival saw the evacuation of 347 more Gambians, 51 Senegalese, 28 Bissau Guineans and one from Guinea Conakry. This follows the arrival on Thursday of 164 Gambians, who were also trapped in Libya.

The evacuees were received upon arrival at Banjul International Airport by the Secretary General and Head of the Civil Service, Dr Njogu Bah, Interior Minister Ousman Sonko, Director General of Immigration, Buba Sagnia, and other senior government officials.

Speaking in an interview with our reporter, the Public Relations Officer of the Gambia Immigration Department, Assistant Superintendent of Immigration Ba Essa Jawara, commended President Yahya Jammeh for his generosity in evacuating Gambians trapped in Libya.

He revealed that a total number of 175 Gambians were also evacuated, whilst they received 172 on Saturday. He said the rescue team sent by the government has finished evacuating Gambians in Tripoli, and will now head to other regions within Libya so as to evacuate all Gambians in Libya.