Libya Orders Army to Retake Mellitah Gas Plant

Libya's internationally recognised Government of National Unity said Abdelhamid Dbeibah ordered the defence ministry and army general staff to take full control of the Mellitah gas complex after protesters entered the site.

The government said the army was ordered to reopen gas pipelines and restore gas supplies to power plants. Protesters angry over frequent and prolonged power cuts forced their way into the complex on Monday night and brought it to a halt.

State electricity company GECOL said groups had entered the complex to shut gas valves that supply power plants, threatening to put several plants out of service and increasing the likelihood of a wider grid collapse. It described the situation as extremely critical.

An official at the complex told AFP that negotiations were under way to persuade the protesters to allow operations to resume. The official said their presence posed a high risk to the complex's operations and control rooms.

The Mellitah complex supplies natural gas to several Libyan power plants. In Tripoli overnight, scores of young people dumped rubbish outside oil and gas company offices and protested over power cuts and the high cost of living.