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At least 11 people have been beheaded in southern Libya following an attack apparently carried out by the Islamic State militant group (ISIS).

Nine fighters loyal to the Libyan National Army (LNA), the force aligned with Libyas eastern government, and two civilians were executed following an assault on a checkpoint 300 miles south of the Libyan capital, Tripoli, in Jufra.

No group has claimed responsibility for the killings, butaccording to Agence France-Presse, LNA spokesmanColonel Ahmed al-Mesmari,ISIS carried out the gruesome attack.

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The onslaught against the LNA forces, under the command of Gaddafi-era General Khalifa Haftar, comes as Libyan military sources warn ISIS is regrouping following catastrophic defeats in December 2016.

Related: African migrants smuggled into Libya sold at Modern-Day Slave Markets

The Times of London reported there were now believed to be 1,000 ISIS fighters in Libya. While the number is a fraction of the 6,000 said to be present in the country when ISIS was in its ascendency in Libya in 2015, the militants aresaid to be expanding.

Forces loyal to Tripolis western government, which ousted ISIS from its stronghold of Sirte in December 2016, have said the jihadis are attempting to regroup to the southwest of the city, close to the scene of thebeheadings.

They are looking for a new haven in the central region, the number is increasing bit by bit by the hundreds, a spokesman for the anti-ISIS forces said.

An armed motorcade belonging to ISIS drives along a road in Derna, in eastern Libya, October 3, 2014. ISIS is accused of beheading 11 prisoners in the desert south of Tripoli. Reuters

Following ISIS defeat in Sirte, the U.S. military said it killed more than 80 militant fighters in air strikes. Among those killed were said to be individuals plotting attacks in Europe.

In 2014, at the start of Libyas civil war, widespread anarchy in Libya provided a breeding ground for ISIS and allowed the black market trade in guns, petrol and people to flourish in the North African nation.

Similar conditions now continue in Libyas lawless south, where forces loyal to the eastern and western governments trade territory in sporadic fighting.

In June, the LNA seized key strategic positions in Jufra from opposing forces, the Benghazi Defense Brigades coalition. The group, some of whose forces have been aligned with Al-Qaeda in the past, includes a wide variety of Islamists with competing allegiances.

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ISIS Accused of Beheading 11 in Libya as Jihadis' Strength Grows in North Africa - Newsweek

Boris Johnson, the British foreign secretary, shakes hands with his Libyan counterpart, Mohamed Taha Siala, in Tripoli. Photograph: PA

Boris Johnson has announced a 9m aid package for Libya to help deal with the problems of migrants risking their lives trying to cross the Mediterranean and a growing threat of terrorist groups from the war-stricken country.

The foreign secretary announced the extra funding as he made his second trip to Tripoli in just four months, where he visited UK naval officers training the Libyan coastguard in search and rescue.

The country has been in crisis since the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 by rebels and a Nato-led bombing mission backed by David Cameron, which a committee of MPs have since described as an ill-conceived mission that helped fuel the rise of Islamic State in north Africa.

Johnson visited Tripoli in May to meet Fayez Al-Sarraj, head of Libyas UN-backed unity government, but undertook a second trip on Wednesday to announce extra UK funding to help stabilise the country.

During the trip, he described Libya as the front line for many challenges which, left unchecked, can pose problems for us in the UK particularly illegal migration and the threat from terrorism.

He added: Thats why it is so important that we work with the Libyan government and our partners to help bring stability to Libya, stopping it from becoming a fertile ground for terrorists, gun runners and people traffickers in close proximity to Europe.

The latest money includes 4m to remove improvised explosive devices from areas where Isis have been pushed back, another 1m towards a fund for critical infrastructure, 2.75m for supporting womens participation in peacemaking and 1.3m in support for food and healthcare for refugees.

Before the foreign secretarys visit, Sarraj warned that would-be terrorists could be entering Europe among the tens of thousands of migrants crossing the Mediterranean each year.

But Fionna Smyth, Oxfam head of humanitarian campaigns, said it was wrong for the UK to back a solution of turning people back to Libya when they were trying to flee.

She said it was disturbing that Boris Johnson is talking about preventing people who are fleeing violence and destitution at home from leaving Libya. Research we conducted with people who fled through Libya found that all but one of the women questioned had suffered sexual exploitation and three quarters of people had witnessed murder or torture, she said. Aid for people travelling through Libya is welcome but Britain should be helping them to find safety, not trapping them in a country where they face violence and abuse.

The collapse of the economy and oil production has led to political vacuum in which extremist militia groups have proliferated and tens thousands of refugees have tried to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.

The countrys political landscape is also divided into two factions, with Sarraj controlling part of the country and his rival, Khalifa Haftar, dominating other areas. But the two men have agreed to work towards fresh presidential elections by March.

Johnson also visited Tunisia on Tuesday evening for talks with Ghassan Salam, the new UN special representative on Libya, who has been brought in to help break the political deadlock.

While in Tunis, he met senior members of the Tunisian government after the UKs decision to lift its advice against travelling to most of the country. The guidance was put in place after the terrorist attack of 2015 in Sousse, where 30 British holidaymakers were among the 38 victims.

After visiting the Bardo Museum, which was also subject to a terrorist attack in 2015, Johnson said improvements to security in Tunisia had allowed the UK to change its travel advice.

The UK is a steadfast partner for Tunisia in building its prosperity and security, and combating terrorism, and I look forward to even stronger ties between us, he said.

The country, which used to be a popular tourism destination, remains in a state of emergency after a suicide attack on a police bus in November 2015.

The Foreign Office continues to warn that terrorists were still likely to try to carry out attacks in Tunisia and that people should remain vigilant, especially around religious festivals and sites.

It also continues to advise against all but essential travel to the south of the country and warns against any travel at all to areas close to the border with Libya and some it shares with Algeria.

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Britain sends 9m to Libya to fight terror threat and migrant crisis - The Guardian

Libyas largest oilfield, the Sharara, remains offline despite contradictory news reports this morning suggesting that exports would resume.

Weighing in on oil price uncertainty, market watchers have been in a state of confusion over varying reports over the past three days as to the status of exports from Libyas biggest producing oilfield.

Earlier this morning, news reports citing National Oil Company (NOC) sources said production had resumed at Sharara, following a three-day blockade of the pipeline that feeds crude to Zawiya export terminal.

Reports said that the Tripoli-based NOCrecognized by the UN as the legitimate NOC--announced it was lifting the force majeure on shipments of oil pumped from the countrys largest oilfieldthe Shararato the Zawiya port.

However, a Reuters report citing unnamed Libyan officials, the field remains offline for unclear reasons. The same report noted that operations had restarted yesterday at least once, for a short period.

They open one valve, they close the other, one unnamed sources told Reuters. It was suggested that negotiations were underway for a resolution, though the nature of the problem remains undefined.

As rivalry between two governments, two national oil companies, a multitude of armed factions and ISIS continues, the future of Libyan exports remains highly uncertain. Related:Is This The First In A Slew Of Megadeals In Oil?

The blockade was the latest in a string of disruptions that have suspended production at Sharara several times this year already.

Just two weeks ago, an attack on a control room at Zawiya caused the shutdown of production at Sharara. It later surfaced that the attackers were protesting the arrest of four Libyans in Saudi Arabia in connection to a kidnapping of Egyptian diplomats in Tripoli.

Shararas production has also been interrupted by militants blocking the pipeline to Zawiya and theft of vehicles, which prompted NOC to tighten security.

Sharara pumps about 270,000/280,000 bpd and its restart last December has been key to Libyas oil output growth, which exceeds 1 million bpd. The field supplies around one-quarter of Libyas total output and has experienced several production stops since its restart.

Libya boasts the biggest crude oil reserves in Africa, but the civil war that ravaged the country after the removal of Muammar Gaddafi crippled its oil industry. Before the war, Libya produced 1.6 million barrels of crude daily. By the end of this year, the Tripoli-based NOC aims to hit a target of 1.2 million bpd short of the pre-war rate but double the March 2017 daily average.

Rival factions in Libyas east have attempted to sell oil on their own through the Benghazi-based NOC, which is not recognized by United Nations Security Council, which views the Tripoli-based NOC as the only legitimate exporter of Libyan oil.

It is only a fragile alliance and an even more fragile game of balancing power that is keeping Libyan oil flowing. The Libyan National Army (LNA), headed by powerful General Khalifa Haftar, is aligned with the eastern government and parliament. Haftar is responsible for freeing up ports that had been blockaded for years and allowing the Tripoli-based NOC to export.

The reported beheading of 11 people at a central Libyan checkpoint controlled by Haftars LNA on Wednesday also indicates that the conflict to control the countrys oil wealth is further intensifying.

By Irina Slav for Oilprice.com

More Top Reads From Oilprice.com:

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Libya's Largest Oilfield Offline, Amid Uncertainty, ISIS Beheadings - OilPrice.com

Faiez Sarrajs warning comes after Spanish police linked the catastrophic terror attack in Barcelona which claimed the lives of 15 people to radical North African groups.

The head of the UN-supported Libyan government Mr Sarraj said: When migrants reach Europe, they will move freely.

If, God forbid, there are terrorist elements among the migrants, a result of any incident will affect all of the EU.

Almost 98,000 migrants are believed to have entered Italy from Libya in the last year.

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Mr Sarraj has since called on the EU to help secure the nations border and asked the UN to lift an embargo which stops Libya from purchasing arms.

The prime minister also said it was time to pressure African nations into taking back economic migrants.

He told The Times: The EU must do more to us help face smuggling.

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We cant put the burden on Libya and Italy alone as it is important for all of Europe.

In recent days Libya banned foreign ships from a stretch of water off its coast, prompting many NGOs to halt their search and rescue missions in a move welcomed by the Italian government.

Italian Foreign Minister Angelino Alfano accuses the European Union of abandoning his country as it struggles to cope with the refugee crisis.

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Asked if Italy had been abandoned by other European nations, Mr Alfano said: A very clear yes.

He added: Italy is contributing, but we cannot cope with this burden alone.

He went on to claim European governments should be looking to Libya as the only solution to decrease the number of migrants reaching Italy.

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Las Ramblas after a vehicle mounted the pavement and drove towards crowds

The warning sparked fury from Brexit champion Nigel Farage, who campaigned to leave the EU for 20 years and isfurious nothing more was done to halt the migrant crisis.

Mr Farage, who gave the very same warning in a speech in Brussels in 2015, tweeted: I warned Europe in 2015 that boats arriving from war-torn regions posed a huge threat. We are now paying the price.

He added: When ISIS said they would flood Europe with 500,000 Islamic extremists, Merkel and EU should have listened.

They have now failed us all.

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Migrant terrorists 'will devastate ALL the EU' thanks to free movement, Libya PM warns - Express.co.uk

Amsterdam Oil prices fell on Wednesday, weighed down by concerns about rising production from Libya feeding into an oversupplied market and a surprise increase in US petrol inventories.

Benchmark Brent crude futures were down 27 US cents at $51.60 a barrel at 9.50am GMT. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were trading at $47.67, down 16c.

Production from Libyas Sharara oilfield, the conflict-riven countrys largest, has been see-sawing. The field remained shut on Wednesday, two Libyan oil sources said. The field had restarted at least once on Tuesday amid conflicting reports about whether it had reopened.

"The flood of news reports makes it clear that the situation in Libya is still chaotic and that conditions in the country are still far from normal," Commerzbank analysts wrote.

Sharara recently reached output of 280,000 barrels per day, but closed this week due to a pipeline blockade. Its production is key to Libyas oil output, which surged above 1-million barrels per day in late June, about four times its level in the middle of 2016.

Libyas rising output is a headache for oil cartel Opec, which together with nonOpec producers including Russia has pledged to cut about 1.8-million barrels per day of supplies between January 2017 and March 2018 in an attempt to remove a global glut.

Additionally, industry data released by the American Petroleum Institute showed on Tuesday that US petrol stocks rose by 1.4 million barrels in the week to August 18, compared with analysts expectations of a 3.5-million-barrel drop.

Jeffrey Halley, senior market analyst at futures brokerage Oanda, said rising US petrol inventories were "not a good sign during the US summer driving season".

Official inventory data from the US Energy Information Administration was due later on Wednesday.

Reuters

Excerpt from:
Price of oil slumps on rising production in Libya - Business Day (registration)