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Libya’s UN-recognized national unity government, based in Tripoli, denied that it had ceded rights of an important civilian port or authorized its use as a military base by foreign forces
Libya’s UN-recognized national unity government, based in Tripoli, denied that it had ceded rights of an important civilian port or authorized its use as a military base by foreign forces. It was incorrect news, asserted Mohamed Hamuda, a spokesman for Abdelhamid Dbeibah’s government.
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He made the statement at the port of al-Khoms, with Libyan Navy Chief of Staff Noureddine el-Bouni and Ports and Maritime Transport Authority Director Mohamed el-Siwiwi at his side. The spokesman was reacting to protests by hundreds of residents of this coastal city, 120 km east of Tripoli, who accuse the government of wanting to cede part of this civilian port to Turkey. It may be recalled that Turkey has been allied to the Dbeibah government, and for military purposes.
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The protesters set fire to tires, blocked the roads that lead to the port, and posted the videos, which went viral. Prime Minister Abdelhamid Dbeibah attached great importance to this commercial port, with plans to develop it to increase trade with other states. The port of al-Khoms can handle a million tons of containers a year. Along with Misrata, further east, it is considered a strategic site.
Oil-rich Libya plunged into security chaos after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi’s regime in 2011. Two governments have been vying for power for the past year: Mr. Dbeibah’s government in the west and the one in the east backed by the powerful Marshal Khalifa Haftar.
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Al Khoms, also known as Khoms, is a medium-sized Port, that was built on an area of 249 hectares, consisting of 20 medium-sized berths with lengths ranging from 75 to 1900 meters. The well organized port has drafts ranging from 10.5 to 11.5 meters and is one of the well-organized ports.
The types of vessels regularly calling at the port are Container ships (34%), Bulk carriers (15%), Oil/Chemical tankers (9%), and Fishing vessels (4%). The maximum length of the vessels recorded to having entered this port is 187 meters
