By Ashraf Abdul-Wahab and Moutaz Ali.
Tripoli, 29 July 2014:
Despite attempts to organise a ceasefire so that the fire at Brega Oil . . .[restrict]and Gas Company’s fuel depot on Airport Road would be fought and put out, the fire is still raging after another missile hit a tank in renewed clashes.
Meanwhile, the media coordinator at Brega, Fathi Darhobi, has confirmed to the Libya Herald that the fires had spread to two additional tanks. A total of five tanks were now on fire, he said.
Darhobi confirmed that the fighting near the tanks continued, causing great difficulty to those who are trying to put out the fires.
Earlier, Italian oil and gas company ENI had agreed to send seven fire-fighting planes to Libya to help put out the massive blaze. It was resounding to the Libyan government’s call for local and foreign assistance to control the inferno. Italy said it would also send fire-fighting teams.
The Italian government had stated yesterday that it would be willing to provide assistance if the militias battling each other would cease fighting to allow firefighters to operate more securely. Tripoli’s Municipal Council was able to negotiate a cease-fire between the warring militias late last night.
The 24-hour ceasefire began at 8 am this morning. The National Oil Company, in a statement on its social media site, said that the ceasefire would also allow for the repair and maintenance of power lines. Tripoli has been experiencing massive and prolonged power outages.
In the event, the renewed clashes put paid to Italy’s attempts to help, at least for the time being.
ENI, for their part, evacuated their Tripoli office staff more than a week ago when fighting in the capital first broke out. [/restrict]
