Libya's oil fields fall into Haftar's hands
The latest military moves leave the government in Tripoli increasingly under siege
Tobruk government forces led by general Khalifa Haftar have completed a dramatic offensive in southern Libya, leaving it in control of all the country's key oil fields. What it does with this control will likely define the future of the country's hydrocarbons industry. While Tobruk now controls the oil, it does not control the oil revenues. These go to a rival government, Tripoli's UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), by dint of its international recognition status. But in the wake of what is a shuddering defeat for the GNA, pressure is mounting for a new political deal. Haftar's offensive lasted six weeks and saw his Libyan National Army (LNA) sweep through southern Libya capturin
Also in this section
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026
14 January 2026
Chavez’s socialist reforms boosted state control but pushed knowledge and capital out of the sector, opening the way for the US shale revolution






