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By Sami Zaptia.
Dusseldorf, 10 September 2018:
A terrorist attack on the Tripoli headquarters of Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) this morning led to the death of two and the injury of 10 NOC employees.
There was considerable damage to the building as the attackers used grenades and machine guns. Most of the injuries to NOC personnel were caused by smoke inhalation.
Early reports say that up to six “dark skinned” attackers were involved. Two are believed to be dead as a result of detonating their suicide vests. There is no confirmed news of the other attackers.
The attackers stormed the building at around 9 am killing two security guards and attempted to hold the rest of the staff as hostages. However, pro Faiez Serraj Presidency Council / Government of National Accord security personnel quickly surrounded the building. They engaged the attackers in gunfire.
Together with fire fighters and health and safety staff they managed to safely evacuate all the staff, including NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla.
Sanalla assured local media that electronic backups mean that all important NOC data was safe.
The attack was swiftly condemned by the Faiez Serraj Presidency Council / Government of National Accord, UNSMIL, the U.S., UK, and Italy.
The Presidency Council / Government of National Accord said that the recent Tripoli militia fighting gave an opportunity for the terrorists to execute their crimes. It called for unity in the face of what it called the “real enemy”.
It raised the level of the security alert in the capital and said it was investigating who is behind the attack.
