BENGHAZI, Libya – An armed faction entered two major Libyan oil ports on Friday, pushing back forces that captured and reopened the terminals in September, officials and residents said.
The move risks increasing the fighting around the ports and casts new doubt over Libya’s attempt to revive its oil production. The terminals at Es Sider and Ras Lanuf are two of Libya’s largest, with potential combined production capacity of about 600,000 barrels per day (bpd).
It was unclear late on Friday to what extent the faction that attacked, the Benghazi Defence Brigades (BDB), had gained control over the area. There was no statement from the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) in Tripoli, which restarted operations at the ports after the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) took them over seven months ago.
Since then the LNA’s opponents have launched several unsuccessful attacks against the ports in Libya’s eastern Oil Crescent, in a campaign linked to a broader conflict between factions based in eastern and western Libya.
The LNA had said the ports were well secured. But it said the BDB had launched a rapid, three-pronged attack early on Friday that pierced its defences.
Air strikes repelled an attack targeting a third port, Brega, but the LNA withdrew men and equipment around Es Sider and Ras Lanuf to avoid a damaging fire fight, LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari said.
Port engineers, oil sources and residents said the BDB entered both Es Sider and Ras Lanuf ports after the attack.
The BDB posted pictures of its fighters at Ras Lanuf’s nearby air strip, though the LNA later said it had retaken control there. Continued…
