World

Haftar aide seeks mechanism on fair distribution of oil revenues

July 12, 2020
A view of the oil port of Es Sider, Libya. — File photo
A view of the oil port of Es Sider, Libya. — File photo

CAIRO — Forces loyal to Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar said they will only allow the reopening of oil fields and terminals once a mechanism has been set up to fairly distribute revenue across the country. At present, the war-torn North African counrty is split between rival, warring factions.

Powerful tribes in eastern Libya loyal to Haftar closed export terminals and choked off major pipelines at the start of the year. The move was aimed at pressuring their rivals in the UN-supported government in the capital, Tripoli, in the country’s west.

In a statement late Saturday, Ahmed Al-Mosmari, a spokesman for Haftar’s forces, called for oil revenues to flow into a bank account in a foreign country with a “clear mechanism” to distribute funds fairly among Libya’s regions. He did not name a country to host the account.

He also demanded international guarantees that oil revenues would not to be used to fund “terrorists and mercenaries.” He was apparently referring to the mercenaries, mostly Syrians, that Turkey brought in recent months to fight on the side of the Tripoli government, which is backed by an array of local militias as well as Turkey, Qatar and Italy.

Haftar forces are also backed by a patchwork of armed groups as well as foreign patrons, including the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Russia and France.


July 12, 2020
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