Tripoli (Libya): In an unusual twist highlighting Libya’s prolonged instability, a shipment of Nokia mobile phones ordered in 2010 finally reached a shop in Tripoli 16 years later.

The delivery, comprising button-based models that were once popular worldwide, had been stranded in warehouses following the civil war in 2011, when the country’s logistics, customs operations, and infrastructure collapsed.

Shopkeepers described the arrival as both amusing and surreal. In the video, unboxing the long-forgotten devices, they likened them to “historical artefacts” rather than functional phones. The shipment included high-end models of the era, such as Music Edition phones and Nokia Communicators, which were once considered status symbols but are now technologically obsolete.

The incident has gone viral on social media, with videos of the unboxing highlighting the chaotic impact of conflict on everyday life and business operations. Many commentators noted the absurdity of a shipment covering only a few kilometres taking over a decade and a half to reach its destination.

People on social media highlighted the potential value of the phones for collectors, pointing out that vintage technology is increasingly sought after in international markets.