Angry protesters from the Amazigh town of Nalut in western Libya shut down a gas pipeline for Mellitah Oil & Gas on Sunday demanding payment of financial dues.

The armed protesters closed the gas pipeline in station 10 in Al-Jawabiya area, southern Nalut, that feeds Ruwais gas-fired power plant in the Western Mountain, demanding payment of around LYD 10 million for their delayed salaries.

Sources said the armed protesters are enlisted in the Petroleum Facilities Guard. They said the gas pipeline will remain closed until their demands are met.

The natural gas is supplied to Ruwais from Wafa oil field, one of Mellitah Oil & Gas B.V. (Libya Branch)’s oil fields, through a 32-inch pipeline.

The General Electricity Company said it had lost 500 MW of power energy and warned it would schedule a rolling blackout to maintain the electrical grid.