MORE western diplomats and citizens have been evacuated from Libya as fighting between rival militias in the country intensified.

Greece became the latest country to evacuate embassy staff along with more than 100 Chinese and European nationals on a navy frigate sailing back to the Greek port of Piraeus. Athens had sent a frigate and two other vessels to Libya to evacuate workers at its Tripoli embassy on Thursday.

The past two weeks of fighting between rival militias in Libya have been the worst since the civil war that ousted Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, prompting Western governments to follow the US and the UN in pulling their diplomats out of the North African country.

Frigate Salamis with 77 Greeks, including embassy staff, 78 Chinese, 12 Cypriot, 10 British and seven Belgian nationals on board, was expected to reach Piraeus port early today, the Greek defence ministry said. Greek ships evacuated more than 10,000 foreigners from Libya in 2011.