Libyan divide deepens as eastern forces shut down oil ports
As the Libyan National Army accused the Government of National Accord and Tripoli-based National Oil Corporation of spending its revenues on mercenaries to fight along their ranks, the tribes in eastern Libya shut down multiple oil ports and demanded a new distribution of oil revenues.
A new weapon is being used as a means of pressure in the Libyan conflict. Namely, Libya’s oil. The Tripoli-based National Oil Corporation (NOC) declared Jan. 18 force majeure due to the closure of oil ports in eastern Libya, which the Libyan National Army (LNA) controls.
The NOC accused the LNA, led by Field Marshal Khalifa Hifter, and affiliated Petroleum Facilities Guards of giving orders to halt oil exports from Libya's oil ports of Hariga, Brega, Ras Lanuf, Zueitina and Es Sider in the eastern part of the country.
The force majeure event exempts the NOC from liability in case it fails to fulfill its oil delivery obligations under the contracts.
In response to the US Embassy’s call for work resumption, the NOC replied Jan. 21 that oil operations would only resume when the closed ports in eastern Libya reopen.
