On 30 October, Minister of Interior Emad Trabelsi and the head of the MoI’s Border Guard ordered the intensification of desert patrols to monitor smuggling routes in the al-Hamada al-Hamra desert. Patrols from the al-Qaryah Desert Security Sector will patrol valleys and open areas to enhance security and combat illegal activities in this area.
On 1 November, a patrol of the 444 Brigade seized three fuel trucks in the al-Hamada al-Hamra desert ‘on their way out of the country’ and arrested the drivers. According to the 444, the incident took place in the very same area where a 444 patrol was ‘kidnapped by smuggling gangs’ on 24 October, indicating that they belonged to the Zintani-led Petroleum Facilities Guards (PFG). The 444 Brigade rejected the ‘smear campaigns and lies’ which it says wrongly claim that the force intends to take over oil field security from the PFG.
The PFG responded to the 444 Brigade, rejecting the accusations as well as the characterization of the PFG as oil smugglers and outlaws. They complained about the discreditation of the agency’s reputation and the unfounded accusations against the local PFG branch, saying that what happened in the past few days within the administrative boundaries of the PFG branch in al-Hamada al-Hamra is a violation of its national role. They said that members of the 444 Brigade were arrested because they were pre sent, without permission or coordination, within the administrative boundaries of the NC8 field and near the oil wells. They were referred to the competent authorities at the Zintan District Military Pros ecution. The PFG emphasized that it rejects smuggling of any kind as it harms the country’s economy. Its fixed and mobile patrols are present day and night within its administrative boundaries to protect them from anyone who intends to use them for smuggling, sabotage or an attack on the PFG or the protected facilities.
On 2 November, security units of the Libyan Border Guards seized a number of trucks that were smug gling fuel in the al-Assa border area with Tunisia (about 30 km south of Ras Ajdir).