Lebanon Stops Rerouting Flights as Russia Halts Maneuvers

Beirut airport stopped rerouting flights on Sunday after Russian military maneuvers over the eastern Mediterranean ended a day early, Lebanon's transport minister said.

Lebanon had said Moscow, which is carrying out air strikes in neighboring Syria, asked for flights to be rerouted on Saturday, Sunday and Monday to avoid overflying an area where the maneuvers were taking place.

"Russia's navy has informed the relevant Lebanese authorities of the end of the manoeuvres that had started in the night of Friday to Saturday," Transport Minister Ghazi Zeaiter told AFP, adding that flight operations were "returning to normal".

There had not been any confirmation from Moscow of the request, which came after Russia launched strikes in Syria in late September against the Takfiri ISIL group (so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Levant), under the request of the Syrian government.

The impact of the restrictions had been limited, with Lebanon's national carrier Middle East Airlines reporting only a few delays and other airlines a handful of cancellations.
Source: AFP
 almanar.com.lb
22/11/15
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Related:

• Lebanon Works on Maintaining Beirut Airport Operation Amid Russian Drills 

• Russia Asks Beirut to Avoid Flights over Area of Its Maneuvers in Mediterranean