Forces loyal to putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar rejected reports about the closure of Libya's oil fields and ports.
In a statement, military spokesperson Ahmad al-Mismari said reports about closing Libya's oil fields and seaports upon orders from the Haftar-backed government of Fathi Bashagha were "baseless."
The news was circulated by Libyan activists on social media on Saturday after Haftar's representatives suspended their participation in the 5+5 joint military committee, which includes five members from the Tripoli-based national unity government and five from Haftar's forces.
Activists said that Haftar has ordered the suspension of Libya's oil exports and the closure of the coastal road linking Libya's east and west amid a dispute with the Tripoli-based government of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah.
Several international actors involved in the Libyan crisis, including the U.N. mission and the European Union, warned against exploiting Libya's oil exports by any Libyan party.
The situation escalated in Libya last month after the parliament gave confidence to a new government headed by Bashagha, while Dbeibah insists on remaining in his post. The U.N., Western powers and even some members of parliament have called for Dbeibah to stay in his role until elections, for which a new date has not yet been set.
Libya's oil production, a vital source of revenue for the North African country, has been hammered by a decade of conflict and political chaos, but production has slowly been recovering as a semblance of order and stability has returned.
