On Thursday, more than two tons of radioactive uranium that had previously thought to have been missing was discovered in a Libyan warehouse, easing concerns about the possible nuclear threat of the missing materials. Mahjoub’s statement placed the warehouse near the border with Chad, last visited by the IAEA in 2020. Had the uranium fallen into the hands of a group or individual with sufficient knowledge and equipment, the material could be refined into weapons-grade uranium, with each unrefined ton equating to about 12 pounds of weapons-grade material. Libya remains ravaged by a civil war, with the internationally-recognized government in Tripoli led by Mohamed al-Menfi, Chairman of the Presidential Council of the State of Libya, fighting with the LNA, which is led by warlord Khalifa Haftar. A ceasefire was declared in 2020, but with no resolution to the conflict in sight.

Source: Libya Today March 17, 2023 19:17 UTC