<p>"The aircraft left at 1500 hours (IST) today and is expected to reach Cairo in Egypt by midnight. From there, it will be tasked to leave for particular locations in Libya to evacuate citizens from there," an IAF official said here.<br /><br />However, the Air Force has not revealed the names of Libyan cities where the aircraft will land keeping in mind the safety and security of the evacuees.<br /><br />The IAF has readied another IL-76 which is expected to take off from here on Saturday to join the operations.<br /><br />After airlifting Indian nationals from Libyan cities, the IL-76 will drop them in Cairo from where the External Affairs Ministry will make arrangements for their safe return.<br />India is carrying out one of its biggest evacuation exercises where over 18,000 Indian nationals are being brought back.<br /><br />The Navy is already doing its bit in the crisis and has sent two of its ships including INS Jalashwa and INS Mysore there under 'Operation Blossom'.<br />The two ships will reach Alexandria on March 8 and will start operations from there.<br /><br />Almost 20 per cent of the stranded Indians in Libya have been brought back here.</p>
<p>"The aircraft left at 1500 hours (IST) today and is expected to reach Cairo in Egypt by midnight. From there, it will be tasked to leave for particular locations in Libya to evacuate citizens from there," an IAF official said here.<br /><br />However, the Air Force has not revealed the names of Libyan cities where the aircraft will land keeping in mind the safety and security of the evacuees.<br /><br />The IAF has readied another IL-76 which is expected to take off from here on Saturday to join the operations.<br /><br />After airlifting Indian nationals from Libyan cities, the IL-76 will drop them in Cairo from where the External Affairs Ministry will make arrangements for their safe return.<br />India is carrying out one of its biggest evacuation exercises where over 18,000 Indian nationals are being brought back.<br /><br />The Navy is already doing its bit in the crisis and has sent two of its ships including INS Jalashwa and INS Mysore there under 'Operation Blossom'.<br />The two ships will reach Alexandria on March 8 and will start operations from there.<br /><br />Almost 20 per cent of the stranded Indians in Libya have been brought back here.</p>