Thousands of foreigners evacuated from Misrata

As fighting between rival militias continued unabated across Libya, over 4,000 Turkish nationals were evacuated from the country’s third-largest city Misrata.

Up to 4,200 Turks and 206 Vietnamese nationals were evacuated as violence spread throughout the North African country.

Since the clashes erupted a fortnight ago, 94 people have died in Tripoli, and more than 400 have been injured as rival militias exchanged rocket and artillery fire, the Libyan health ministry said.

The two most powerful militias, the Zintani and the Misrata forces have been fighting each other for control of the capital’s international airport, which since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 has been controlled by the former militia.

Another 55 people, mostly civilians, have been killed in the eastern city of Benghazi since the clashes intensified over the past week between regular forces and militias entrenched in the city.

A new Libyan parliament was elected in June and legislators are set to meet in August for the first session. 

On Sunday, France, Britain, Germany, and Spain called on their nationals to leave Libya due to the deteriorating security situation.

The US, the UN, and Turkey have pulled their diplomats out of the North African country.

The US evacuated its embassy on Saturday, driving diplomats across the border into Tunisia under heavy military protection because of clashes near the embassy compound in Tripoli.

A British embassy convoy was hit by gunfire during what an embassy official described as "an attempted hijack" as the convoy was on its way to the Tunisian border. No one was injured in the incident.

Oil tanker blaze out of control

A fire from fuel tanks near Tripoli's international airport that has been ignited by rocket attacks is out of control as clashes between rival militias have resumed in the area, the National Oil Company says.

Six million litres of fuel were set ablaze by a rocket late on Sunday, with a second depot hit on Monday. Residents within 3-of the area have been urged to evacuate, amid fears of a massive explosion.

"It is out of control. The second tank has been hit and the firefighters have withdrawn from the site as the fighting has resumed in the area," National Oil Company spokesman Mohamed Al-Harrai said.

"The situation is very dangerous after a second fire broke out at another petroleum depot," the government said, warning of a "disaster with unforeseeable consequences".

The Libyan government earlier appealed for "international help" fighting the blaze amid heavy fighting that the Libyan government said has killed more than 150 people in Tripoli and Benghazi in two weeks.

A statement posted to the government's website on Monday warned of a "humanitarian and environmental disaster" after fighting between rival militias over the country's international airport caused the inferno.

Officials said that firefighters sent to the scene had been unable to put out the fire.

Al-Harrai said firefighters battled the blaze for hours before running out of water and being forced to leave.

As Libyan TV stations called on residents to evacuate areas near the aiport, social media sites posted images of black smoke billowing over Tripoli's skyline.