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US Calls on Libyan Leaders to Immediately End Oil Shutdown

US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland. Asharq Al-Awsat
US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland. Asharq Al-Awsat
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US Calls on Libyan Leaders to Immediately End Oil Shutdown

US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland. Asharq Al-Awsat
US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland. Asharq Al-Awsat

The US called Wednesday on Libyan leaders to immediately end the continued closure of oil sites and ports, stressing that such practices cost the country additional millions and risk an environmental disaster.

In an unusual tone, the US embassy in Tripoli issued a statement expressing Washington’s “deep concern” over “the continued oil shutdown, which is depriving Libyans of substantial revenue.”

It said this situation contributes to increasing prices, “and could lead to electricity blackouts, water supply problems, and fuel shortages.”

It said responsible Libyan leaders must recognize that the shutdown harms Libyans throughout the country and has repercussions across the global economy, and should end it immediately.

“The US reminds Libyan leaders of the multiple UNSCRs that protect the National Oil Corporation (NOC) and reaffirms our commitment to work with Libyan leaders on a mechanism that will give the Libyan people confidence that the country’s revenues are being distributed for the benefit of the Libyan people,” the Embassy statement stressed.

Libyan oil output has been subjected to repeated closures due to political disputes, security threats and workers’ protests, depriving the Libyans from oil, which constitutes 98% of the country’s exports and fiscal revenues.

This month, individuals opposed to the National Unity Government put pressure on the workers in Al-Sharara oilfield, forcing them to gradually stop production and led Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) to declare force majeure at the site.

Oil production was also halted from Libya’s El Feel oilfield and Zueitina oil port following similar protests calling for Tripoli-based Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah to resign.

Defending its views concerning oil in Libya, the US Embassy statement said that prior to the shutdown, Washington had recommended an incremental transfer of revenue subject to monitoring and oversight by a Libyan-led financial mechanism. However, Libyan leaders independently decided to make more substantial transfers.

It even said that Washington advised and continues to advise the creation of a temporary Libyan financial mechanism with broad support to address how Libya’s revenues should be spent in the absence of an agreed national budget.

“Such a mechanism could be used by Libyan authorities to give the Libyan people confidence regarding how oil revenues from the NOC would be used and to prevent the diversion of funds for partisan political purposes that could undermine Libya’s peace and security,” it noted.

The Zueitina Oil Terminal is situated at the Gulf of Sirte, 180 km south west of Benghazi and around 850 km east of Tripoli.

The terminal alone accounts for almost a quarter of the 1.2 million barrels of oil Libya produces per day, driving NOC chairman Mustafa Sanalla to warn from the repercussions of the shutdown on the living conditions of Libyans, particularly in light of the increasing prices of oil and gas worldwide.

Also, the country’s Oil and Gas Minister Mohammed Aoun said that the closure of several oil sites this month has seen Libya’s output halve to around 600,000 barrels per day.

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Arab World

Transport Costs: A Daily Burden Weighing on Khartoum Residents

A general view of a public transport terminal in Khartoum (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A general view of a public transport terminal in Khartoum (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Transport Costs: A Daily Burden Weighing on Khartoum Residents

A general view of a public transport terminal in Khartoum (Asharq Al-Awsat)
A general view of a public transport terminal in Khartoum (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Getting to work, hospital or university in Sudan’s capital, Khartoum, has become a test of survival in a city battered by war.

As transport fares rise, incomes fall and unemployment spreads, thousands of families are being forced to choose between commuting and paying for food, medicine and education.

The crisis has deepened as displaced people return to Khartoum and its three cities while services remain limited and the number of operating vehicles falls far short of demand. Higher fuel, spare parts and operating costs have pushed fares up further.

Passengers face long waits, frequent fare changes and shortages of vehicles on several routes. Damaged infrastructure and road closures have altered routes, lengthened journeys and forced many commuters to use more than one vehicle, sharply increasing daily costs.

Official figures reflect the wider economic strain. Gold export revenues reached about $370 million in the first quarter of this year, while fuel imports exceeded $697 million over the same period, highlighting the gap between export earnings and the cost of essential imports as large parts of the economy remain shut by the war.

For bus driver Abdullah Ali, 50, the transport crisis mirrors his personal losses. His bus was stolen when fighting began, and he was wounded by shrapnel in his right hand before fleeing to Gezira state, then Atbara and Shendi.

After returning to Khartoum about six months ago, he began working as a hired driver on a bus he does not own.

Ali told Asharq Al-Awsat that his income barely covered his daily needs and was not enough to renew his driver’s license. Many drivers were also unable to pay licensing and maintenance fees as fuel, oil, tire and spare-parts prices continued to rise, he said.

Moussa al-Safi, a laborer supporting four children, said transport consumed much of his daily income.

“The war has not only raised prices, but also reduced job opportunities,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat. “A worker pays to travel there and back without any guarantee of finding work or earning money by the end of the day.”

Private-sector employee Sami Abdel Qayoum said he often used more than one vehicle to reach work, taking up a large part of his monthly salary. To save money, he gets off before his destination and walks long distances.

University student Shehab Othman said some students arrived late or missed lectures because they could not afford transport, while others walked long distances to cut daily expenses.

Ezzedine Jaber, a member of the bus union, said short-route fares were about 2,000 Sudanese pounds, while some longer routes cost up to 6,000 pounds. Lower fuel prices were the main way to reduce operating costs and ease the burden on passengers, he said.

The impact extends beyond passenger transport.

“The price of a gallon of diesel has exceeded 40,000 pounds, raising the cost of transporting goods from Port Sudan and production areas to markets and export ports,” economist Mohamed al-Nayer told Asharq Al-Awsat. “That is ultimately reflected in the prices of goods and services.”

In Khartoum, where displaced people and refugees continue to return, transport fares have become part of the cost of survival.

Each increase can mean one less meal for a family, delayed medicine for a patient, a missed lecture for a student or kilometers of walking for a worker trying to protect what remains of their income.

Arab World

Libya’s Zawiya Pays Growing Price for Stray Gunfire

A victim of clashes in Libya’s Zawiya in early May (Emergency Medicine and Support Center)
A victim of clashes in Libya’s Zawiya in early May (Emergency Medicine and Support Center)
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Libya’s Zawiya Pays Growing Price for Stray Gunfire

A victim of clashes in Libya’s Zawiya in early May (Emergency Medicine and Support Center)
A victim of clashes in Libya’s Zawiya in early May (Emergency Medicine and Support Center)

Gunfire tore through a neighborhood near Jazirat al-Muaskar in Libya’s western city of Zawiya after an intoxicated militiaman opened fire on the headquarters of a rival armed group, adding to the blood toll in a city already weighed down by militia violence.

Zawiya, long under the grip of armed factions, has grown used to burying residents killed by stray bullets. The city barely emerges from one round of fighting before another begins, leaving more dead and wounded.

Amjad al-Kilani, known as “al-Zir” and affiliated with the Zawiya-based 103rd Battalion, also known as al-Salla, was seen staggering with a machine gun over his shoulder as he fired indiscriminately toward a base of the al-Far militia, led by Mohammed Bahrun, and at nearby shops.

Witnesses in Zawiya said the clash stemmed from a dispute involving Kilani, who was previously affiliated with the Rabi al-Fanouta militia and runs a business on the coastal road.

After he recently joined al-Far, members of al-Salla, led by Othman al-Lahab, attacked him and forced him out of the market, the witnesses said.

Entrance to the city of Zawiya (from Zawiya-related social media pages)

Libyan businessman Ismail al-Shtaiwi condemned the footage of the intoxicated gunman firing wildly, posting a video of the incident on Facebook.

“No country in the world, no matter how wealthy, can take a single step toward success and stability while drowning in a militia swamp,” Shtaiwi wrote on Friday.

“Stability cannot be achieved, nor can development and economic reform move forward, while the country remains at the mercy of illegal guns and militias that dictate decisions,” he said.

“It is painful and shameful that this criminal and absurd scene continues to be exported to the world, reducing Libya to a state held hostage by chaos, uncontrolled weapons and outlaw gangs, instead of one known for its enormous capabilities, opportunities and resources.”

Shtaiwi said ordinary Libyans were paying the price through restrictions on travel and movement, damage to their image and the erosion of their country’s standing abroad.

“What is also painful and regrettable is that billions are spent every year under the headings of security and defense, while the results are there for everyone to see,” he said.

Violence in Zawiya often flares and then subsides, but only after leaving behind dead and wounded. One question continues to haunt the city: When will the threat from armed groups that endanger lives and drain the country’s resources finally end?

Several young men from Zawiya were killed in armed skirmishes in late May, prompting UN envoy Hanna Tetteh to warn against escalation and call for restraint.

Nasser Ammar, commander of the Support Force within the Tripoli authorities’ Operation Volcano of Rage, said Kilani’s random gunfire and intimidation of civilians while intoxicated was “an insult to the city and its history.”

“Zawiya has never lacked, and will never lack, free men who will not allow a reckless man to violate the sanctity of their homes and property,” Ammar said. “Protecting our people and uprooting this corruption is a duty for every honorable person.”

Security forces near Tripoli following clashes between armed militias (file photo from pages affiliated with security agencies)

Since the overthrow of late leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has seen a pattern of random or unexplained assassinations, often driven by armed rivalries, militia struggles for influence and revenge for earlier killings.

Local media tracking the violence in Zawiya have counted 62 deaths since the start of this year.

A security source at the Zawiya Security Directorate told Asharq Al-Awsat, however, that the true toll was higher because no official count existed.

Moatasem Ambiya was killed early on Thursday after being shot in the Jodayem area east of Zawiya by people described as “outlaw gunmen,” according to human rights groups.

The National Institution for Human Rights called on the Interior Ministry, the Zawiya Security Directorate, the Criminal Investigation Department and the prosecutor’s office at the Zawiya Court of Appeal to open a full investigation into Ambiya’s killing.

The group expressed “deep concern over the rising rates and indicators of kidnapping, arbitrary detention and extrajudicial killings in numerous cities, regions and municipalities.”

It blamed what it called “security chaos” caused by the absence of the relevant security authorities.

Like embers beneath the ashes, Zawiya remains on edge, bracing for violence that could erupt at any moment.

The widely shared video of the intoxicated gunman has come to reflect the growing reach of militias, fueling anger among Libyans over the security situation.

With armed groups tightening their grip, bloggers and activists in Zawiya have found little recourse beyond social media hashtags such as “Zawiya Is Bleeding,” “Stop the Killing” and “Enough Silence.”

They hope to make their voices heard by the authorities in Tripoli, whom they accuse of appeasing the city’s armed groups, supporting their presence and inviting their leaders to official gatherings.

Arab World

US-Backed Oil Pipeline to Link Iraq, Syria

Vantive CEO Chris Toth, second from right, is joined by from left, Excelerate Energy President and CEO Steven Kobos, Commercis CEO Alan Afrasiab, left, and Roger Martella, GE Vernova Chief Corporate Officer and US-Iraq Business Council Chairman, during the US Iraq Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Vantive CEO Chris Toth, second from right, is joined by from left, Excelerate Energy President and CEO Steven Kobos, Commercis CEO Alan Afrasiab, left, and Roger Martella, GE Vernova Chief Corporate Officer and US-Iraq Business Council Chairman, during the US Iraq Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
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US-Backed Oil Pipeline to Link Iraq, Syria

Vantive CEO Chris Toth, second from right, is joined by from left, Excelerate Energy President and CEO Steven Kobos, Commercis CEO Alan Afrasiab, left, and Roger Martella, GE Vernova Chief Corporate Officer and US-Iraq Business Council Chairman, during the US Iraq Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)
Vantive CEO Chris Toth, second from right, is joined by from left, Excelerate Energy President and CEO Steven Kobos, Commercis CEO Alan Afrasiab, left, and Roger Martella, GE Vernova Chief Corporate Officer and US-Iraq Business Council Chairman, during the US Iraq Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Iraqi Oil Minister Bassem al-Abadi signed an agreement with Syria on Friday to build a new oil pipeline, part of a package of economic deals reached during Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit to the United States.

Asharq Al-Awsat had earlier reported, citing Syrian, Western, and Iraqi sources, that Baghdad and Damascus were preparing to sign a US-backed oil-link agreement during al-Zaidi’s visit to Washington.

The sources said the project could mark the start of a new economic alliance in the Arab Mashreq.

The pipeline would revive Iraqi oil exports through Syria and replace the historic Kirkuk-Banias route, which has been out of service for years.

A Syrian oil-sector official said the two countries were close to signing a preliminary agreement. The new pipeline would carry about 2 million barrels per day and take roughly 30 months to complete after the final deal is signed.

Tom Barrack, the US ambassador to Türkiye and special presidential envoy to Syria and Iraq, speaks at the US Iraq Business Summit at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

Diversifying export routes

The move comes as Iraq seeks to diversify its oil export routes and reduce its reliance on Gulf shipping lanes amid security threats that affect traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, the main outlet for Iraqi crude exports.

US Energy Secretary Chris Wright said at a ceremony for the signing of the economic agreements that President Donald Trump’s administration wanted to turn the Middle East from a region of conflict into a hub for trade and investment.

Greater investment was the best route to stability, peace, and job creation across the region, Wright said.

He praised al-Zaidi for choosing the United States as his first foreign destination, about 60 days after taking office, saying the decision underscored the importance of the US-Iraqi partnership in the next phase.

Wright said expanding Iraq’s energy sector and increasing oil output would require US companies to provide investment, technology, and expertise.

Their involvement would help improve efficiency and reduce Iraq’s dependence on some neighboring countries, he said.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, center, attends the US Iraq Business Summit at the US Chamber of Commerce, Friday, July 17, 2026, in Washington. (AP Photo/Rod Lamkey, Jr.)

US oil deals in Iraq

Alongside the Iraqi-Syrian pipeline agreement, US oil producer ConocoPhillips said it had agreed to acquire a 42% stake in BP’s giant Kirkuk oilfields complex in Iraq.

ConocoPhillips said the deal was among several contracts signed during the Iraqi prime minister’s visit to the US.

The project holds reserves of more than 3 billion barrels and includes future exploration opportunities.

Financial terms were not disclosed, though estimates put the deal’s value at about $400 million.

The agreement was among the major oil deals cited by Trump during al-Zaidi’s White House visit, as Baghdad pushes to attract fresh foreign investment into its energy sector.