TRIPOLI, Aug. 9 (Xinhua) -- Militarization of oil facilities and presence of mercenaries in those facilities can lead to disasters severer than the recent deadly explosions in the Lebanese capital of Beirut, warned the state-owned National Oil Corporation (NOC) of the UN-backed Libyan government on Sunday.
Two huge explosions rocked the Port of Beirut on Tuesday, leaving at least 158 people dead and 6,000 others wounded.
"The militarization of oil facilities, the presence of mercenaries as well as the military escalation increase the risks that hydrocarbons and chemicals stored at oil ports pose to workers and local population," said NOC Chairman Mustafa Sanalla.
"This may lead to a disaster that is severer than the Port of Beirut and a massive destruction that will cause Libya to be out of the oil market for so many years," Sanalla warned.
"This will also result in the loss of sales opportunities estimated at hundreds of billions of dollars that other oil-producing countries will benefit from. Furthermore, tens of billions will be needed for reconstruction at a time when budgets available are limited," he added.
According to the NOC, foreign mercenaries allied with the east-based army are occupying major oilfields and ports in Libya, shutting down oil production, which has caused losses of nearly 8 billion U.S. dollars so far.
Libya has been suffering escalating violence and political instability ever since the fall of its leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
