By Sami Zaptia.
London, 19 June 2019:
Libya’s state National Oil Corporation (NOC) reports that a warehouse in Tripoli’s eastern district of Tajura owned by its subsidiary Mellitah Oil & Gas Company (MOG) was destroyed by an airstrike yesterday. Mellitah is a joint venture with Italy’s ENI.
The NOC reports that three MOG workers suffered minor injuries and have been transported to the local hospital.
The NOC did not attribute blame for the airstrike. Tripoli has been at war since 4 April when Khalifa Hafter and his aligned forces attacked the capital. A number of airstrikes within Tripoli on purportedly civilian sites have been blamed on the pro Hafter forces.
Material losses inside the warehouse were significant and that the airstrike and resulting fire destroyed valuable equipment and materials in addition to the warehouse itself, the NOC said.
Firefighting and emergency response teams were quickly on the scene, the NOC added, and were able to control the blaze in close cooperation with the National Safety Authority.
“This is another tragic loss caused by this unnecessary conflict,” said NOC chairman, Mustafa Sanalla. “NOC infrastructure is being destroyed before our eyes. The lives of oil sector workers are continually being put at risk, as is the prospect of maintained oil production. We will work with local authorities to ascertain the origin of this unprovoked attack. These repeated crimes cannot go unanswered.”
The NOC pointed out that this is the fourth attack on NOC facilities since the beginning of the assault on Tripoli. The destruction of the North African Geophysical Exploration Company’s (NAGECO) building, the bombardment of the oil clinic, and shelling in the vicinity of LPG tanks near the Airport Road warehouse are a clear sign of the blatant targeting of the oil sector and its workers. The NOC continues to call for an immediate ceasefire to hostilities.
https://www.libyaherald.com/2019/06/17/shelling-causes-fire-at-airport-road-fuel-depot-noc/
https://www.libyaherald.com/2019/06/14/noc-expresses-concern-over-lna-presence-inside-ras-lanuf-terminal/
https://www.libyaherald.com/2019/06/07/serraj-ministry-of-health-condemns-hafter-targeting-of-field-hospital/
https://www.libyaherald.com/2019/06/06/mitiga-airport-complex-bombed-flights-not-affected/
https://www.libyaherald.com/2019/05/27/shelling-caused-noc-tripoli-clinic-fire-noc/
