A view of the Mellitah Oil and Gas complex, 100 kilometres west of Tripoli. Photo: Reuters

Libya has resumed gas exports to Italy after protesters left the North African country’s Mellitah port, and expects to begin loading condensate there today, the National Oil Corp (NOC) said yesterday.

“We have started with small quantities to resume gas exports to Italy. Once pressure is higher, volumes will increase,” NOC spokesman Mohammed al-Harari said.

Protesters making political demands ended their two-week seizure of the port, which is co-operated by Italy’s ENI and NOC.

Meanwhile, however, Libya’s deputy intelligence chief was kidnapped outside Tripoli airport, two security sources said yesterday, days after clashes between rival militias and protesters in the capital killed at least 45 people.

Mustafa Noah, the head of agency’s espionage unit, was pulled into a vehicle in the car park, and had no bodyguards with him at the time, one of the sources said, without going into further details on the attackers or their motives.

Things are as clear as the sun, we want a decision

Libya’s government is struggling to keep order as rival militias and hardline Islamists refuse to disarm two years after they helped oust Muammar Gaddafi in a Nato-backed uprising.

No group claimed responsibility for the abduction, but militias have snatched officials in the past to get political leverage.

Prime Minister Ali Zeidan was abducted by a government-payrolled militia group last month, but freed unharmed after a few hours.

Tripoli city leaders yesterday called for street protests and strikes at shops, schools and universities to press Libya’s government to drive out militiamen blamed for the clashes.

Violence broke out on Friday when militiamen from the coastal city of Misrata opened fire on protesters marching on their brigade quarters in Tripoli to demand they leave the capital.

Dozens of people were killed in the fighting that followed – the deadliest street violence in Tripoli since Gaddafi’s fall. Misrata gunmen and rival militias clashed again on Saturday to the east of the capital, killing one more.

Saadat al-Badry, the head of Tripoli’s local council, said city leaders wanted all armed groups from outside Tripoli to leave the capital and demanded an investigation into the violence.

“We have declared a strike for three days from today, but if our demands are not met we will continue,” he said.

“We will not negotiate with them. Things are as clear as the sun, we want a decision.”

Many stores, schools and universities were closed in the capital yesterday – normally a working day in Libya. Residents set up barricades of metal, wood and tyres to protect their streets and join the protest.

Militiamen and former fighters are often employed by the government to protect ministries and government offices. But gunmen remain loyal to their commanders or tribes and often clash in rivalries over control of territory.