Haftar's Army Says Key Libyan Oil Ports Back Under Its Control
- Eastern forces say they have seized Ras Lanuf, Es Sider
- Sites were seized by Benghazi Defense Brigades on March 3
Forces controlled by Libya’s eastern-based military commander Khalifa Haftar said they had retaken two of the country’s major oil ports which had been seized by a rival group about two weeks ago, triggering clashes that curbed oil production in the holder of Africa’s largest crude reserves.
The ports of Es Sider and Ras Lanuf, a petrochemicals factory and the nearby Harouge storage tanks had all been recaptured on Tuesday in a land, air and sea offensive, said Miftah Al Magaraif, head of a Petroleum Facilities Guard faction loyal to Haftar. His Libyan National Army announced its full control of the ports on its official Facebook page. The facilities were seized from Haftar earlier this month by a rival group, which later said it handed them to the United Nations-backed government in Tripoli.