Three Suspects Detained for Storming Libya's State Oil Firm, Attorney General Says
Three suspects have been detained for allegedly storming the Libyan state oil firm's headquarters in Tripoli, the country's attorney general said on Thursday, a day after its rival government in the east threatened to declare force majeure on oil fields and ports citing assaults on the firm.
The National Oil Corporation is based in Tripoli under the control of the internationally-recognized Government of National Unity. The parallel government in Benghazi in the east is not internationally recognized, but most oilfields in the major oil producing country are under the control of eastern Libyan military leader Khalifa Haftar.
The NOC has previously denied its corporation's headquarters were stormed, calling it "completely false" and quoted its acting chief as calling it "nothing more than a limited personal dispute that occurred in the reception area."
But the eastern-based government has threatened to also temporarily relocate the NOC's headquarters to "safe cities" such as Ras Lanuf and Brega, both of which it controls, according to Reuters.
"The public prosecution reviewed the evidence of the storming of the Corporation's headquarters, inspected the scene, reviewed the video footage recorded at the time of the incident and heard the testimonies of those present," the attorney general said in a statement.
The three suspects were handed over by the defense ministry, which was asked "to arrest the remaining contributors to the incident," the attorney general said.
The national output of crude oil in the past 24 hours reached 1,389,055 barrels per day, the NOC said on Wednesday, reflecting normal levels.
Libya's oil output has been disrupted repeatedly in the chaotic decade since 2014 when the country divided between two rival authorities in the east and west following the NATO-backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
Greek coast guard says over 600 migrants rescued from 2 fishing boats
The first fishing boat, carrying 352 people, was spotted overnight about 55 kilometers south of the tiny island of GavdosThe second was found 90 kilometers south of the island of Crete with 278 people on boardATHENS: More than 600 migrants were rescued overnight and early Friday from two wooden fishing boats found sailing miles (kilometers) from the southernmost part of Greece, the country's coast guard first fishing boat, carrying 352 people, was spotted overnight about 30 nautical miles (35 miles, 55 kilometers) south of the tiny island of Gavdos, the coast guard said. Passengers were rescued by a ship from the European border patrol agency FRONTEX, aided by a coast guard patrol boat and four other second was found 50 nautical miles (about 60 miles, 90 kilometers) south of the island of Crete with 278 people on board. The passengers were picked up by a passing Portuguese-flagged cargo ship. In both cases, the migrants were transported to was no immediate information on the nationalities of those on board the two fishing two boats carrying migrants were located in the same area on Thursday, the coast guard said. One, carrying 73 men, was found south of Gavdos and another with 26 people, including one woman and three minors, was found near the coast of southern coast guard said those on the smaller boat told authorities they had set sail the previous evening from Tobruk in Libya, and had each paid smugglers either 4,000 euros ($5,500) for their passage to Greece. Two Sudanese teenagers, one aged 16 and the other 19, were arrested on suspicion of migrant smuggling after other passengers identified them as having been operating the has been on one of the preferred routes into the European Union for people fleeing war and poverty in the Middle East, Africa and Asia for decades. Arrivals from neighboring Turkiye to the east and the Libyan coast to the south spiked last year, with Greece recording more than 60,000 people arriving — the vast majority by sea — in 2024, compared to just over 48,000 the previous year, according to figures from the UN refugee agency. As of June 15 this year, a total of 16,290 arrivals were recorded, with more than 14,600 of those by authorities closely patrolling the eastern sea border with Turkiye to prevent migrant boats reaching nearby Greek islands, smugglers appear to be increasingly opting for the much longer and riskier Mediterranean Sea crossing from the north African coast to the southern tip of Greece, using larger boats into which they can cram more people.
Arab News
a day ago
- Arab News
Libya objects to Greek tender for hydrocarbon exploration off Crete
TRIPOLI: Libya's internationally recognized government of national unity has objected to Greece's approval of an international tender for hydrocarbon exploration off the island of Crete, saying some of the blocks infringed upon its own maritime zones. The two countries have been trying to mend relations strained by an accord signed in 2019 between the Libyan government and Greece's regional rival Turkiye, which mapped out a sea area between them close to the Greek island. Greece opposed the agreement, saying it had no legal basis as it sought to create an exclusive economic zone from Turkiye's southern Mediterranean shore to Libya's northeast coast, ignoring the presence of Crete. Last month Athens invited bidders for hydrocarbon exploration in two blocks south of Crete following an expression of interest by US major Chevron. Libya's Tripoli-based foreign ministry said in a statement late on Thursday that some of the tendered sea blocks off Crete fell within disputed zones and were 'a clear violation of Libya's sovereign rights.' The ministry objected 'to any exploration or drilling activities in these areas without a prior legal understanding that respects the rules of international law,' it said, calling on Greek authorities to prioritize dialogue and negotiation. Responding to questions at the Greek parliament, Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said Greece was willing to discuss with Libya 'the delimitation of maritime zones within the framework of international law.' Gerapetritis is expected to visit Libya in the coming weeks, an official with the Greek foreign ministry told Reuters on condition of anonymity.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Arab News
Soccer fans storm field in Libya and a Portuguese referee is injured during a suspended match
TRIPOLI: A highly-anticipated derby in Libya's top soccer league was suspended after fans stormed the pitch and officials said Thursday the Portuguese referee and some fans were injured. For the latest updates, follow us @ArabNewsSport The match Wednesday between Al-Ahly Tripoli and Al-Ittihad was suspended in the 39th minute when Al-Ahli substitutes and fans stormed the pitch in protest of Al-Ittihad players' celebration of their opening goal. Al-Ittihad's bus was set on fire, the club said in a statement. Players and soccer officials fled the stadium amid a fan disturbance outside the facility. Footage circuited online showed clashes between fans and security forces in and around the stadium. Al-Ahly blamed what they called a 'provocative act' by one of Al-Ittihad players for the disturbance. They said in a statement that security forces used 'excessive force and live fire' against fans at the club's headquarters. Local media reported that Portuguese referee Fábio José Costa was injured.
