In his latest article published with Al-Monitor on 3 July, Mustafa Fetouri discusses Eastern-based General Haftar’s decision to handover the control of the al-Sidra and Ras Lanuf oil terminals to the Eastern- based National Oil Corporation (NOC), arguing that this decision could backfire and undermine Haftar’s reputation and power instead of increasing his power in Libya. According to Fetouri, Haftar is trying to use the control of the oil infrastructure as a negotiating tool to obtain political gains, namely the replacement of Sadiq al-Kabir as governor of the Western-based Central Bank of Libya (CBL). However, the author believes that this decision could have the opposite effect, and damage Haftar’s credibility by presenting him as another militiaman attempting to disrupt Libyan institutions and chances for stabilization.Click here to read more.
Is General Haftar’s move in the Oil Crescent a mistake?