China sends emergency aid to Libya

Beijing (IANS): China has sent emergency aid for common people in war-torn Libya, a media report said Thursday.

The first batch of emergency relief materials, sent by the Red Cross Society of China, departed from the Tianjin airport early Thursday morning, Xinhua reported.

The relief materials - weighing about 90 tonnes - includes rice, edible oil and medicine, and are scheduled to reach the rebel-held city of Benghazi.

The Red Cross Society of China said it decided to offer two batches of humanitarian relief aid in the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. The aid is worth 50 million yuan (about $7.8 millon).

The organisation did not say when the second batch of aid would be shipped.