LIBYA OILFIELD ATTACK LEAVES 13 PEOPLE DEAD

Tripoli, 15 Rabi’ul Akhir 1436/5 February 2015 (MINA)– Eight Libyans, two Ghanaian and three Filipino nationals have been killed during an assault on Libya’s Mabrook oilfield, the oilfield commander says.

“All of them had their throats slit apart from one Libyan, who was shot dead,” AFP quoted Abdelhakim Maazab, the commander of the force protecting the field, as saying on Wednesday, Press TV quoted by Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

Reuters quoted him as saying that his troops had retaken charge of the field after the gunmen left the oilfield late on Tuesday. The development comes as armed militant factions affiliated with two rival governments in Libya fight for control of Libya nearly four years following the downfall of long-time ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

Work at the oilfield, located south of the city of Sirte, came to a halt in December after armed clashes shut down the Es Sider oil port.

Sirte is the stronghold of the militant group Ansar al-Sharia. The area has been plagued by clashes as armed groups compete for control of the Es Sider and Ra’s Lanuf oil ports, Meanwhile, French oil giant Total, which jointly operates the Mabrook oilfield with the state-run National Oil Corp, announced that it had earlier pulled out its staff from the facility.

The Tripoli-based General National Congress, backed by the Fajr Libya militias, controlling the capital, are waging a war against the official Libyan army, supported by the Tobruk-based parliament, in the far east of the country.

The new Tripoli rulers have set up a rival parliament and government not recognized by the international community. (T/P010/P3)

Mi’raj Islamic News Agency (MINA)