11 Libyan Oil Fields Out of Service

Lybia’s state-run petroleum company National Oil Corporation announced Wednesday that 11 oil fields are non-operational because of assaults. They accuse the Islamic State group of being behind all of the attacks the oil fields.

Colonel Ali al-Hassi, a spokesperson for the oil industry security service, said, "Extremists took control of the Bahi and Mabruk fields and are now heading to seize the Dahra field following the retreat of the forces guarding these sites."

The state oil corporation warned that it would close more oil fields if these attacks continue.

​"If security deteriorates, the corporation will be forced to close all fields and ports, which will result in a total deficit in state revenues and directly impact people's lives, including with power outage," the spokesperson said.

It also blamed the Tripoli-based government for not protecting the security of the oil fields. It said that "theft, looting, sabotage and destruction" had been increasing since the Libya Dawn government took control of the Libyan capital.

Wednesday the Islamic State group of Libya assaulted the al-Dhahra oil field. They exchanged gunfire with the oil fields guards.

The Tripoli-based government launched airstrikes against Islamic State group, but the Islamic State group managed to take valuable equipment and blow up the facility's buildings.

Libya currently pumps out about 5000,000 barrels per day of crude oil, which is three times less than its peak output. Khaled Ben Osman, head of the National Council for Oil and Gas in Tripoli, said that the oil fields, which were attacked, make up 30 percent of the Libyan oil fields.

Among the remaining fields, several have been closed since the U.S.-led attacks on Libya and the former Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi was killed in 2011.

Two oil fields in central Libya, Mabruk and Bahi, which were once two of the most productive oil fields, were attacked Monday and Tuesday.

Libya has been in a state of chaos since 2011 when the country's former head of state Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown amid a NATO intervention. Since then the country has been carved up by rival militias. Read more here.