Musaid or Imsaad (Arabic: امساعد) is a town in Butnan District in eastern Libya. Alternates names include: Oistant, Msa'ed, Imsa'ed, and Musa'ed. Musaid lies approximately 150 kilometres (93 miles) east of Tobruk and is the major border crossing between Libya and Egypt.
Musaid
امساعد Imsasd, Msaad | |
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Town | |
![]() ![]() Musaid Location in Libya | |
Coordinates: 31°34′33″N 25°2′23″E | |
Country | ![]() |
Region | Cyrenaica |
District | Butnan |
Population (2006)[1] | |
• Total | 7,139 |
Time zone | UTC+2 (EET) |
Musaid was the site of heavy fighting during the brief Libyan–Egyptian War of 1977. This war, the break-off of Libyan-Egyptian diplomatic relations, and the resultant trade embargo with Egypt, had a very negative impact on Musaid. For example, Musaid's population shrank from 4,330 in 1973 to 3,200 in 1984 (-26.1%),[2] while overall Libya's population rose in the same period by 60.30%.[3]
Nearby is the Sidi Shahir Ruhih shrine.[4]
Musaid's economy depended heavily on trade between Egypt and Libya. After the 1977 war and the follow-on trade embargo with Egypt, this was replaced in part by smuggling, aided by the close tribal ties across the border.[5] In 2008, the Libyan government acted to suppress the smugglers.[5]
As of autumn 2010, a large suite of new border facilities is under construction.[citation needed]
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Capital |
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Towns and villages |
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