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By Sami Zaptia.
London, 21 May 2019:
Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) said today that it is increasingly concerned about the state of lawlessness in Libya and its impact on oil sector operations stemming from the ongoing conflict in and around Tripoli.
The conflict has been ongoing on the outskirts of the capital since 4 April when it was launched by Khalifa Hafter and his Libyan National Army (LNA) as well as other local allied forces.
The NOC reported that a security inspection this week of the headquarters of the North African Geophysical Exploration Company (NAGECO), which has remained closed since its shelling on April 10, uncovered the theft of multiple units of key machinery and equipment, leaving the company’s headquarters ransacked.
It also reported that in a separate incident, a fuel supply truck transporting 40,000 litres of fuel from Sabha to the El Feel oil field was found on Saturday in Germa, after being seized by an unknown group. An unidentified body was also found inside the truck.
“Protracted hostilities continue to hamper NOC operations and our ability to serve the Libyan people. Key infrastructure is being damaged and security eroded – allowing criminal elements to prosper. NOC will take all necessary measures to investigate and prosecute those committing crimes that undermine the oil sector and our ability to maintain operations. An immediate ceasefire is needed. The alternative is further escalation and destruction,” said NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla.
