Libya: State-owned company Ahlia Cement has reportedly been forced to close its plants in Zliten and Khoms, according to the Libya Herald. The newspaper reported that there had been conflicting reports regarding the reason for the closure, including that the military had closed the headquarters of National Cement, along with its Al-Marqab and Aribya Zliten cement plants, dismissing employees and preventing them from entering the premises. This action had reportedly come after the company’s CEO had refused to stop reserving and dispensing quantities of cement for private companies, arousing suspicions of corruption related to cement distribution operations. The alleged reserved shipments amounted to 60 truckloads per day.
Another report suggested that an armed group from Misrata stormed the company’s headquarters, in order to seize all cement orders and sell them on the market at fives times the ex-factory price.