On Benghazi's runway, the shadows of 2021 stretch towards Europe
A quiet but steady stream of flights from eastern Libya to Belarus is drawing close attention in Brussels, reviving memories of a migration crisis four years ago and reminding Europe how quickly pressure points can shift.
At Benghazi's Benina Airport, Minsk now appears on the departures board more often than it once did: two flights in May, five in June, and four in July.
According to The Telegraph , these flights are operated by Belavia Airlines — the same Belarusian carrier at the centre of the 2021 border crisis, when thousands of migrants were flown into Minsk and pushed towards Poland and Lithuania. That episode, described by EU leaders as a 'hybrid attack,' forced Europe into emergency diplomacy and left a lasting mark on its migration policy.
This time, the route begins in eastern Libya — a region with unsettled politics, porous desert borders, and a pivotal position on the Mediterranean migration map. 'It doesn't take many flights to change the equation,' one EU migration official told the British paper.
The growing air link follows a high-profile visit in February by eastern Libya's commander, Khalifa Haftar, to Belarus, accompanied by sons and sons-in-law. Weeks later, senior Belarusian officials arrived in Benghazi to activate agreements, soon after Belarus opened a consulate in the city.
Meanwhile, Italy's Nova news agency reports a parallel military track: Belarusian officers at Tamanhint Airbase in Sabha, the delivery of Belarusian-made equipment, the selection of local recruits for training, and at least five military cargo flights to southern Libya this year using opaque, complex routes.
For Europe, the concern is not only who boards these planes but what deeper ties between Benghazi and Minsk could mean for the future. In private, EU officials acknowledge that Libya has the capacity to alter migration routes into Europe — and from Benghazi's runway, the long shadow of 2021 is already reaching north. The views expressed in Op-Ed pieces are those of the author and do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of Libyan Express.
How to submit an Op-Ed: Libyan Express accepts opinion articles on a wide range of topics. Submissions may be sent to oped@libyanexpress.com. Please include 'Op-Ed' in the subject line.
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