Libya: Haftar’s forces seize El Feel oilfield

Forces loyal to the Libyan self-styled army of Khalifa Haftar controlled the vital south-western El Feel oilfield late on Thursday, sources from the field and the forces have reported.

According to the sources, Haftar’s forces had made a deal with the security faction already protecting the field and was handed control of El Feel after joining them.

Meanwhile, the state oil firm “National Oil Corporation (NOC), which operates the field in a joint venture with Italy’s Eni, said it was concerned about developments near El Feel oilfield and was monitoring the situation closely to ensure the safety of its staff,” according to an NOC representative.

Forces loyal to commander Khalifa Haftar have waged an offensive in Libya’s south since last months. They posted Thursday a video purporting to show their vehicles driving into El Feel.

Before El Feel, Haftar’s forces seized Libya’s biggest oilfield “Sharara” and asked later the NOC to lift force majeure and resume production, but the NOC rejected citing the need for checking the security status first.

Earlier this month Haftar’s so-called air force imposed a ban on flights without its permission and carried out air strikes near El Feel after an aircraft arrived carrying a rival commander from Tripoli, home to the UN-recognised government.