The closure of Libya’s major oil fields and production facilities has resulted in losses of more than USD 255 million in the six-day period ending January 23, the country’s national oil company said Saturday.
The closures came when powerful tribal groups loyal to military commander Khalifa Hifter earlier this month seized several large export terminals along the eastern coast as well as southern oil fields.
Hifter controls the eastern and much of the southern part of the country.
The moves were meant to challenge Hifter’s adversaries in the west, the UN-backed, but weak rival Government that controls the capital, Tripoli.
The National Oil Corporation, which dominates Libya’s critical oil industry, said its assessment showed that “the illegal shut down of its facilities has resulted in losses of nearly 256.5 million USD until January 23.”
