Libya says armed group forces production halt at major oil field
Libya's state-run oil company says the Sharara oil field had just resumed operations before it was stormed by gunmen.
Days after the reopening of a key oil field, Libya's National Oil Corporation blamed a group tied to renegade commander Khalifa Hifter for shutting down its production today.
“The armed group, which came from Sebha, stormed the Sharara oil field and pulled their guns on civilian unarmed workers, coercing them to stop production at the field at dawn,” the state-run National Oil Corporation said in a statement.
The Sharara field in southwestern Libya had just resumed operations over the weekend after “lengthy negotiations” between insurgents and the oil corporation over a monthslong blockade. The National Oil Corporation today declared it was no longer legally obligated to fulfill the contract on exports from the oil field due to circumstances beyond its control.
The oil company said the armed group that attacked the southwestern field Monday evening is under the command of Brig. Gen. Mohamed Khalifa, whose forces are linked to Hifter.
