By Libya Herald reporters.
Tripoli, 7 March 2015:
It has emerged that the militants who raided the Ghani oil field kidnapped seven foreign technicians . . .[restrict]as well as killing eleven guards and destroying key plant.
The National Oil Corporation has said that a Czech, an Austrian, an African country national, Bangladeshis and Filipinos appear to have been seized in Friday’s assault. According to the Philippine Foreign Ministry, four of their citizens were seized.
The NOC originally said that only eight guards had been murdered and that all oilfield staff had been kept safe. The state oil firm later said that it believe two foreigners had been kidnapped.
Both the Austrian and Czech governments have formed crisis committees, said Reuters, and the Czechs were sending an official to Libya. Both Austria and the Czech Republic closed their Tripoli embassies when violence began last summer and have relocated their missions to Tunis.
NOC has given no assessment of the damage to the facilities at the Ghani field, which has a nominal output of 74,000 b/d. In operation for 25 years the Ghani main station has a sweet oil processing plant. There is also plant for producing diesel fuel, dry fuel gas and drinking water, as well as power generators. [/restrict]
