The Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) accused on Friday the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) of the east-based militias of Khalifa Haftar of firing heavy shots inside an oil port.
“The NOC today renewed its call for immediate and unconditional demilitarization of all oil facilities after military personnel fired live rounds and heavy weapons in Ras Lanuf port,” the NOC said in a statement.
It added that the presence of forces including mercenaries who lack any kind of discipline are a true threat to NOC workers and facilities all over Libya.
The NOC explained that pro-Haftar PFG on Friday delayed entry of a Comoros-registered vessel into the port for a few hours by “firing live rounds and rocket propelled grenade shells in an area where dangerous and highly flammable materials are stored.
Confirming no casualties were caused by the heavy firing, NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla called on all sides and the international community to support immediate demilitarization in all petroleum facilities in Libya, as well as the replacement of the PFG.
“This is the latest in a series of failures of the so-called PFG. They have once again shown their utter lack of professionalism, and the rule of law,” he said.
The east-based army has been occupying oilfields and ports and blocking oil production, demanding transparency in distributing oil revenues.
