BENGHAZI (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 29th June, 2020) Libyan tribes are in control of all the oilfields located in the country's eastern and southwestern regions, with the support of the Libyan National Army's (LNA) forces, Sheikh Senussi al-Haleeq, the deputy chairman of the Supreme Council of Libyan Sheikhs and Elders, responsible for the oil and gas sector, told Sputnik in an interview.
Last week, the LNA, which backs the Libyan tribes, started under the cover of its fighters to patrol oil reserves and ports in the country's eastern part in a bid to protect the so-called oil crescent region from any attacks that could be launched by armed groups operating in the North African country.
"First of all, the 'oil crescent' region is not only in one place. There are oilfields and ports in the eastern and southwestern parts, and the forces of the Libyan National Army are located there. All of this is under our control whether the fields are based in the western or eastern region," the deputy head said, adding that the eastern-based tribes have been in continuous contact with those based in the west concerning the oilfield issue.
According to al-Haleeq, the LNA troops were recently sent to the oilfields accompanied by a large number of armed members of the eastern and southwestern tribes. As of now, the eastern-based armed forces are controlling the situation, the deputy head said, noting that the LNA is present in the area solely to protect the oil facilities.
The "oil crescent" area includes foreign petroleum companies and stretches along the country's coast from the port city of Tobruk, where the LNA-backed eastern Libyan parliament is based, to the oil depot of As Sidr.
In Libya, the confrontation between LNA and its main rival - the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord - has practically split the oil-rich country into two parts.
Earlier in the month, an armed group broke into the country's largest Sharara oilfield and ordered its employees to shut down oil production. In response, Libya's Natural Oil Corporation has condemned the incident in the strongest terms and said that it totally rejects any military presence within the company's facilities. The incident came several days after the oilfield had resumed operations following a four-month suspension.
