Libyan PM, UN and US call for reopening major oilfields

The Libyan Prime Minister, Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, as a Defense Minister has instructed the commander of joint operations room in the western region to immediately take necessary measures to reopen the valves feeding Sharara and El Feel oilfields after they have been closed by whom he called “outlaw groups”.

On Sunday, the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced force majeure on oil production at Sharara and El Feel oilfields after the closure of Rayayna Valve by “unidentified persons”, saying the OPEC member would lose 330.000 barrels per day (bpd) equaling over 160 million dinars a day off the state’s revenue.

The NOC added in a statement on Sunday that its Chairman indicated that the ones behind the closure of Rayana Valve are a “group of dubious gangs led by Mohammed Al-Basheer Al-Gurj”, saying that the closure led to the cessation of pumping crude and thus would not allow Libya to honor its commitment in the global market.

In the meantime, the UN Secretary General’s Advisor on Libya, Stephanie Williams, said she was following with concern reports of closure of oil fields and suspension of some civilian flights, adding that blocking oil production deprives all Libyans from their major source of revenue and that the oil blockade should be lifted.

Likewise, the US ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, said the oil blockade should also be lifted immediately, adding that restoring flight service between east and west is an important signal of national unity at a critical time and that the US is prepared to assist in facilitating the resumption of flights as soon as possible.

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