The Libyan Coast Guard of Sabratha rescued Saturday 112 illegal immigrants on board a rubber boat, including 30 women and 3 children, from different African nationalities. The Information Office of Libyan Navy reported that the rescue operation was carried out 30 miles north of Garabulli town, east of Tripoli. On the same day, the Libyan Coast Guard managed to pick up 98 other immigrants from African and Arab nationalities, bringing the total of those rescued to 335 immigrants. The immigrants were transferred to Tripoli Naval Base, and were provided with humanitarian and medical assistance before being handed over to the Anti-Illegal Immigration Agency in Tajoura.

--------------------------------------------------

A delegation from the National Oil Corporation (NOC) conducted an inspection visit to the water and sanitation company in Tobruk to examine the desalination plant inside the company. On its Facebook page, Tobruk Municipal Council pointed out that the NOC approved a budget worth LYD 440.000 to the company to carry out maintenance works and to raise the capacity of the company to produce 500 cubic meters per day.

--------------------------------------------------

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees UNHCR’s Representative to Libya, Roberto Mignone, claimed on Friday that Libya is no longer a safe country for migrants, explaining that he does not see any prospects for the refugees to integrate into Libyan society. Mignone clarified that the number of refugees and asylum seekers in Libya is estimated at 48,00 thousand, where the UNHCR has been able to evacuate more than 1,000 immigrants voluntarily to a third country such as Europe and Canada. He added that they are seeking to evacuate about five to ten thousand immigrants by the end of the year.

--------------------------------------------------

A liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) truck for Brega Oil Marketing Company has crashed on the desert road on the way to Tobruk due to a tire malfunction after avoiding a head-on collision. No human casualties were reported. The driver of the truck was able to avoid a collision with a car carrying a family, which could have led to a humanitarian disaster, the company's media office reported, pointing out that the driver is currently in hospital for treatment after undergoing a surgery. The competent authorities of the industrial security and the occupational safety and health administration of the central and eastern regions managed to unload the damaged tank truck and unload the LPG to a safe place.

--------------------------------------------------

 The Chairman of the High National Elections Commission (HNEC), Emad Sayeh, said that the failure to hold the upcoming elections would lead to more armed confrontations and military coups. In an interview with Maghreb Voices on Friday, Sayeh indicated that there are problems facing the electoral process related to the political situation, the date of elections and the electoral laws, in addition to the failure to bring the political parties together, confirming that all technical issues are ready for the elections. He stressed that the ballot boxes are the only way out of the Libyan crisis, expecting to hold the elections after next September.

--------------------------------------------------

Spokesperson for Sabha Medical Centre, Osama Al-Wafi, announced the gradual return of medical staff after their absence in the previous days due to the flare-up of violent clashes in the city. The Centre suffered gun shooting and shelling of the residential neighbourhoods of doctors, because of the clashes. In a press statement, Al-Wafi confirmed the gradual return of the medical staff, especially after the arrival of medical teams from other cities to Sabha, calling on absentees to resume work immediately. Al-Wafi explained that the Centre received bodies of seven dead people and 32 others wounded with various injuries since the beginning of the clashes on February 4 to March 7, noting that most of them were civilians, including women and children.

--------------------------------------------------

ISIS has claimed responsibility for the suicide attack on Dignity Operation fighters positioned at checkpoint 60 south of Ajdabiya town, according to a statement on its propaganda outlet Amaq. The extremist group identified the suicide attacker as "Abdul-Hamid al-Muhajir. On its Facebook page, Ajdabiya Operation Room affiliated to Dignity Operation clarified in a brief statement that the attack was carried out by a suicide bomber driving a Toyota car, confirming that the attack caused 3 injuries.

--------------------------------------------------

The High Council of State (HCS) sent a letter to the House of Representatives (HoR) including the drafts for elections and constitution referendum laws, which the HCS voted for on December 26, 2017. The letter demanded the HoR present the drafts to the Speaker and members so that the drafts of the two laws can get consensus. Meanwhile, the HoR has been accused of protracting the issuing of a referendum law after it had rejected last August reviewing the constitution draft.

--------------------------------------------------

The Administrative Control Authority said it was following up on the Antonov freighter of Libyan aircraft fleet which was sent to Ukraine for maintenance over seven years ago. The authority called on the Presidential Council to urge the private aviation executive bureau to pay the financial dues needed by the Ukrainian government for the service of the Antonov. It also called on the bureau to finish the study of the rental contract with Libyan Blue Bird Aviation Company and then sign it as soon as possible.

--------------------------------------------------

Libya ranked 123 out of 180 countries on the Environmental Performance Index for 2018. Libya came four ranks behind this year compared to the 2016 index, which listed Libya at the rank 119. The index this year said many Middle Eastern and North African countries have massive reserves of hydrocarbon leading to bad effects on the quality of climate and energy.

News

Read Also: