In Libya, forces loyal to eastern commander Khalifa Haftar, who is against the country’s UN-backed government, on Sunday seized key oil ports, pushing the North African country towards a bigger conflict over oil resources and hindering efforts to resume production.

According to Ahmed al-Masmari, a spokesman for Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), the forces took control of Es Sider, Ras Lanuf, Brega ports, as well as 80 percent of the Zueitina oil site.

Conflicts by armed forces, political disputes and militant attacks have been the main factors behind Libya's declining output. The country’s oil production has reduced to about 200,000 barrels per day (bpd) from the 1.6 million bpd being produced the fall of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

State-run National Oil Corporation has said that the Ras Lanuf and Es Sider port were under full control of Haftar forces while Zueitina was still held by loyalist forces.

These attacks have made attempts to unify Libya's rival armed factions under the Government of National Accord (GNA) and stabilize the country difficult.

This new development by Haftar's brigades will raise questions in the market about the validity of crude exports by a force, which is against the internationally recognized government in Tripoli.

The seized ports were formerly under the control of the Petrol Facilities Guard (PFG), which made a deal with the GNA in July to end the blockade of the Ras Lanuf, Es Sider and Zueitina ports and tried to restart exports.

Libya's National Oil Corporation has however, been evacuating oil stored at the Zueitina terminal due to fears that it could be lost during clashes, Reuters reports.

Anita Fatunji