As rebel fighters tighten the noose around the Libyan capital still controlled by forces loyal to Muammar Gaddafi, Malta is bracing itself for a fresh round of evacuations by foreign nationals holed up in Tripoli.

An official from the Office of the Prime Minister yesterday confirmed the government is in touch with the International Organisation for Migration, which is planning to evacuate hundreds of foreign nationals, mainly Egyptians, still in Tripoli.

“We are ready to do whatever is necessary to support the evacuations,” the official said, confirming Malta’s preparedness to deal with a second exodus if it happens.

He said the government was in contact with the few remaining Maltese in Tripoli. “We have offered our assistance if they decide to leave the Libyan capital.”

At the start of the Libyan conflict in February and March, Malta served as a logistical and humanitarian base for foreign nationals evacuated from Libya. It is estimated that more than 16,000 evacuated people passed through Malta, most of them coming by sea.

With rebels gaining the upper hand in key towns to the west and east of Tripoli, the only route out of the capital is by sea, where NATO warships control access.

On Friday, IOM said it had received several requests to evacuate foreign nationals in Tripoli, who are increasingly vulnerable and now want to leave.

The organisation said it had “a small window of opportunity” to get people out of the capital.

Large numbers of Egyptian migrant workers are still believed to be in Tripoli with many other nationalities. The exact numbers of the total migrant population in the Libyan capital area are unknown, the IOM said, but thousands of Egyptians have registered with their embassy and are ready for evacuation.

Libyan rebel fighters yesterday claimed victory in the western town of Zawijah, which is 30 kilometres away from Tripoli and an important gateway out of the capital on the road to Tunisia.

Rebels also said they controlled the eastern town of Zlitan, some 160 kilometres away from Tripoli, effectively encircling around the capital.

While rebels advanced rapidly towards the capital over the past few days the regime continued to crumble as Col. Gaddafi’s former number two, Abdel-Salam Jalloud defected.

A youtube video showing Mr Jalloud with some rebel leaders was put on the internet with reports saying he fled to Italy through Tunisia.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com