Libyan Tribes Tasks Haftar with Announcing Resumption of Oil Production

An oil refinery in Libya's northern town of Ras Lanuf. (AFP)
An oil refinery in Libya's northern town of Ras Lanuf. (AFP)
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Libyan Tribes Tasks Haftar with Announcing Resumption of Oil Production

An oil refinery in Libya's northern town of Ras Lanuf. (AFP)
An oil refinery in Libya's northern town of Ras Lanuf. (AFP)

The “tribal movement” in Libya tossed the ball in the court of Libyan National Army (LNA) commander Khalifa Haftar, by declaring that it was tasking him with negotiating with the United Nations and international community the reopening of oil fields.

The east-based tribal leaders entrusted Haftar with finding ways to avoid oil resources from falling into the clutches of terrorist militias. They also called on him to reopen oil fields that have been shut since the beginning of the year.

The leaders met at the Zueitina oil port on Monday, declaring that the Libyan people have a right to benefit from oil revenues and forge ahead and rebuild their country.

LNA spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari welcomed the statement, adding that the military was “studying its next move in wake of this announcement.”

He said that the army always welcomes any move that would help resolve the Libyan crisis and dry up the sources of terrorism financing.

The oil facilities file, which used to be managed by tribes and the people, is now in the hands of the military that has the duty to maintain their security, he stressed.

Meanwhile, Government of National Accord deputy defense minister Salaheddine al-Namroush said his forces will not allow “saboteurs” to meddle with energy resources, including oil fields and ports.

He vowed that they will not fall victim to “exploitation or extortion” or the clutches of “mercenaries and criminal gangs.”

Separately, commander of the Turkish naval forces, Adnan Ozbal, made a surprise visit to Tripoli on Tuesday.

He was received by GNA military officials and visited the Abu Sitta Naval Base amid speculation that he was set to discuss the inauguration of a Turkish naval base in Tripoli.



US to Eventually Reduce Military Bases in Syria to One, Says US Envoy

A US patrol in Qamishli’s countryside in Hasakah on April 20, 2022. (AFP)
A US patrol in Qamishli’s countryside in Hasakah on April 20, 2022. (AFP)
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US to Eventually Reduce Military Bases in Syria to One, Says US Envoy

A US patrol in Qamishli’s countryside in Hasakah on April 20, 2022. (AFP)
A US patrol in Qamishli’s countryside in Hasakah on April 20, 2022. (AFP)

The United States has begun reducing its military presence in Syria with a view to eventually closing all but one of its bases there, the US envoy for the country has said in an interview.

Six months after the ouster of longtime Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad, the United States is steadily drawing down its presence as part of Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR), a military task force launched in 2014 to fight the ISIS.

"The reduction of our OIR engagement on a military basis is happening," the US envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, said in an interview with Türkiye's NTV late on Monday.

"We've gone from eight bases to five to three. We'll eventually go to one."

But he admitted Syria still faced major security challenges under interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, whose coalition toppled Assad in December.

Assad's ouster brought an end to Syria's bloody 14-year civil war, but the new authorities have struggled to contain recent bouts of sectarian violence.

Barrack, who is also the US ambassador to Turkey, called for the "integration" of the country's ethnic and religious groups.

"It's very tribal still. It's very difficult to bring it together," he said.

But "I think that will happen," he added.

The Pentagon announced in April that the United States would halve its troops in Syria to less than 1,000 in the coming months, saying the ISIS presence had been reduced to "remnants".