The National Oil Corporation of Libya announced, on Saturday, the reopening of an oil pipeline that had been closed by an armed group several days ago, which, according to the corporation, caused losses amounting to $95 million.
The pipeline connects the Sharara oil field in southwestern Libya to the Zawiya export terminal on the Mediterranean coast.
The National Oil Corporation said in a statement that it reopened valve No. 7 on the Sharara-Zawiya pipeline and resumed pumping operations.
The pipeline is operated by Akakus Oil Operations, a joint venture that includes the National Oil Corporation, the Spanish Repsol companies, the French Total Energy, the Austrian OMV, and the Norwegian Equinor.
An armed group closed the valve on Monday, which led to a sharp decline in production rates, according to the corporation, which did not provide details about the party responsible for this or its demands.
Closures of oil and gas facilities have become common in Libya in recent years against the backdrop of social demands, security threats, or political disputes.
The war in Sudan witnessed rapid developments on the military and humanitarian tracks, with the army announcing the recovery of the strategic city of Sodri in North Kordofan, and the escalation of mutual attacks by drones and civilian casualties in El Obeid and Mazroub, at a time when the United Nations revealed a sharp increase in the number of Sudanese fleeing to Chad, coinciding with intense diplomatic movements by Foreign Minister Muhyiddin Salem in New York, where the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Antonio Guterres, warned of the devastating repercussions of the war and the danger Its extension to the countries of the region.
The official spokesman for the armed forces said, in a statement on Friday evening, that the army forces and their allied forces “liberated” the city of Soudre after battles with the “Rapid Support Forces,” which he said caused losses in their ranks of lives and equipment. The Rapid Support Forces did not immediately comment on the army’s announcement, while pictures and videos circulated on social media platforms showed members of the army and the Joint Force celebrating inside the city. It was not possible to independently verify the overall field developments or the size of the losses announced by the army.
Soudari gains military importance because of its location on roads linking the regions of North Kordofan to the west of the state and Darfur. Controlling it also allows the army to expand its scope of deployment north and northwest of El Obeid, after a series of operations during which it achieved progress in a number of towns in recent weeks.
The progress in Sodre coincided with the escalation of the drone war. On Friday, Al-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan, was attacked by drones, and the state government and its security committee said that “Rapid Support” drones targeted a center for sheltering displaced persons and civilian and service sites, killing two people and wounding about 20 others.
According to witnesses, the attacks affected northern and central Al-Obeid, including a center to shelter the displaced near the police hospital, a gas station, a passenger bus, and a house in the Arafat neighborhood. There was no immediate comment from Rapid Support on the accusations, while platforms supporting it circulated news of the bombing of the city.
On the other side of the battle lines, the Sudanese Founding Alliance, “Tassis”, allied with “Rapid Support”, accused the army of carrying out a drone strike on Al-Mazroub, which it said resulted in the death of nine civilians and the wounding of 24 others. The army did not confirm that the strike was carried out, and it was not possible to independently verify the source of the drone or the death toll.
The military developments coincided with a sharp increase in the number of Sudanese fleeing across the border into Chad. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees said that more than 400 Sudanese cross daily into eastern Chad, an increase of about 20 times compared to the rate recorded during the past few months.
Reuters quoted the Regional Coordinator for Refugees, Mamadou Diagne Balde, as saying that the new arrivals spoke of fleeing fighting, aerial bombardment, and drone attacks, and that the new wave comes especially from Darfur, Kordofan, and the Blue Nile.
Since the beginning of the year, more than 55,000 Sudanese have crossed into Chad, while the number of Sudanese who have sought refuge there since the outbreak of war in April 2023 is close to one million people.
The humanitarian response, in turn, faces a severe funding crisis. The UNHCR said it had received only 18 percent of the $1.6 billion it needed for the regional response, threatening its ability to provide food and shelter and move refugees to safer areas.
In New York, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohieldin Salem intensified his meetings on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly meetings, and discussed with international and UN officials the war, the humanitarian situation, and paths to a political settlement.
Salem met with the Chairman of the African Union Commission, Mahmoud Ali Youssef, and the two sides discussed efforts to stop the war, protect civilians, and deliver humanitarian aid, while the Chairman of the Commission affirmed the African Union’s support for Sudan’s unity, sovereignty, territorial integrity, and a comprehensive political process led by the Sudanese.
The Minister of Foreign Affairs also held discussions with the Personal Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Sudan, Pekka Haavisto, and UN officials concerned with the humanitarian file.
In his most prominent meetings, Salem met with the Secretary-General of the United Nations, António Guterres, who, according to the official UN statement, expressed “deep concern” about the continuation of the conflict and its devastating impact on civilians, and warned of the danger of the war spreading further into the region.
Guterres stressed the need to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those in need, and the urgent need to stop hostilities and push towards a comprehensive political process led by the Sudanese.
The Sudan News Agency said that Salem briefed the Secretary-General on developments in the situation, and stressed the government’s continued cooperation with the United Nations and international and regional organizations and the provision of the necessary facilities for the flow of aid.
SUNA also quoted Guterres as expressing his regret that the Chairman of the Sovereignty Council, Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, did not obtain a visa to enter the United States to participate in the General Assembly meetings. But the official UN statement about the meeting did not address the visa issue, and focused on the war, the humanitarian situation, the cessation of hostilities, and the political track.
