Around 2.5 tons of natural uranium are missing at a site in Libya, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) announced on Wednesday.
IAEA Director Rafael Grossi told the organization’s member states that inspectors had found 10 barrels of uranium ore at an unspecified location “that were not present as previously explained”.
“The loss of knowledge of the current location of nuclear material may pose a radiological hazard as well as nuclear safety concerns,” the statement to member states said.
The nuclear supervisory authority will carry out “further activities” to “clarify the circumstances surrounding the removal of the nuclear material and its current whereabouts”.
turmoil in Libya
In 2003, Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi agreed to abandon a program to develop nuclear weapons.
As part of the plan, Gaddafi allowed weapons inspectors into Libya.
However, the country has been in turmoil since 2011, when Gaddafi was overthrown and killed in a NATO-backed insurgency.
Since then, political control has been split between an interim government in the capital, Tripoli, and another in the east of the country, backed by military ruler Khalifa Haftar.
The interim government was only supposed to last until an election scheduled for December 2021, which has still not been held.
lo/sms (AFP, Portal)