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By Ulf Laessing and Ayman al-Warfalli

TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI, Libya Tue Feb 3, 2015 7:37pm GMT

U.N. Special Representative Bernardino Leon speaks at the General National Congress (GNC) headquarters in Tripoli February 2, 2015.

Credit: Reuters/Ismail Zitouny

TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI, Libya (Reuters) - New clashes erupted on Tuesday between rival factions fighting for control of Libya's biggest oil ports Es Sider and Ras Lanuf, killing at least 10 people, the two sides said.

The fighting came a day after the United Nations said it was seeking a ceasefire to pave the way for a new round of peace talks between factions operating two opposing governments, nearly four years after Muammar Gaddafi's overthrow.

Libya's internationally-recognised government under Prime Minister Abdullah al-Thinni and the elected House of Representatives have been based in the east since a group called Libya Dawn seized Tripoli last summer, set up its own administration and reinstated the old parliament.

Troops loyal to the Tripoli government launched an offensive in December to try to take the eastern Es Sider and Ras Lanuf oil ports, which have had to shut down operations. Both sides had declared partial ceasefires last month, which had largely held, to give a U.N.-sponsored dialogue a chance.

Forces allied to Thinni conducted air strikes on Tuesday to stop a new advance of fighters allied to the rival government, a spokesman for Thinni's forces said.

"There is an attack from them from all sides on the oil ports," the spokesman said, adding that five of his soldiers had been killed. "But we've stopped them."

Read more:
New fighting for Libyan oil ports as U.N. tries to revive talks