OVERNIGHT CLASHES IN LIBYA KILL AT LEAST NINE, TOLL CROSSES 50

The Indian Panorama - Newspaper - Logo

BENGHAZI (TIP):

At least nine people were killed and 19 wounded, mostly civilians, in heavy clashes overnight in Benghazi as government forces tried to oust Islamist militants holed up in Libya’s eastern port city, medical sources said on July 24. The fighting, late on Wednesday, involved aircraft and ground troops and followed more than a week of the fiercest clashes between militants, former rebel fighters and government forces in Benghazi and the capital Tripoli since the 2011 war against Muammar Gaddafi. Sporadic shelling continued in parts of Tripoli early on Thursday though there were no immediate reports of any casualties after heavy clashes a day earlier.

More than 50 people have died so far in the violence that started ten days ago and that has deepened fears post-war Libya is slipping further into lawlessness, with its government unable to control heavily armed brigades of former rebel fighters battling for power. Two main rival militias in Tripoli exchanged fire with Grad rockets, shells and anti-aircraft cannons for control of the main airport, shutting down most international flights and prompting the United Nations to pull its staff out of Libya.Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu, on Thursday, said that Turkey may evacuate its embassy in Tripoli, a day after his ministry advised all Turkish citizens to leave the north African country due to the worsening security situation.

Militia blockades of oil industry
The fighting has also taken a toll on Libya’s fragile oil industry.The significant El- Feel oil field has reduced production due to the clashes and total output slipped around 20 percent to 450,000 barrels per day on July 18. A spokesman for the state-run National Oil Corporation said on Thursday production had risen to 500,000 bpd, but he said there was still no progress on reopening the Brega oil port after a deal with protesters to end a blockade there.

Reopening Brega would help increase crude output by bringing the stalled Sirte oil operations back into production.The North African OPEC oil producer’s petroleum industry has been a prime target for blockades by militias and other armed groups looking to pressure the central government for financial or political gain.

Be the first to comment

The Indian Panorama - Best Indian American Newspaper in New York & Dallas - Comments