University of Benghazi reopens a decade after war damage

The University of Benghazi held its official reopening ceremony this evening after completing extensive maintenance and rehabilitation works, following the destruction it suffered during the war on terrorism and armed conflict in the city roughly a decade ago.

The ceremony was attended by the prime minister and the speaker of parliament, alongside a significant international presence of ambassadors and members of Arab and European diplomatic missions.

The university's reconstruction was overseen by the Fund for Development and Reconstruction of Libya, headed by engineer Belgasem Khalifa Haftar, working alongside university president Ezzeddine Al-Darsi and the university council to prepare the campus's faculties and facilities ahead of the opening.

The campus had suffered extensive damage after extremist groups seized control of it between 2014 and 2016, during which infrastructure was systematically destroyed and rare Islamic manuscripts more than 700 years old were stolen, according to previous statements from the university president.

Around 69,000 students had been studying in temporary facilities and deteriorating buildings while awaiting the campus's restoration, according to earlier reporting on the reconstruction project.