By The Smartencyclopedia Staff & Agencies

Tripoli, Libya — Libyan forces responsible for guarding the country’s oil facilities have declared the closure of oil fields on Sunday, citing an ongoing dispute over pay, according to reports from Anadolu Agency.

In a video statement broadcasted by Libya al-Ahrar, the Petroleum Facilities Guards (PFG) stated, “We will unfortunately close all oil facilities.” The guards warned of escalating the matter to judicial authorities if their demands were not met.

The key demands put forth by the PFG include a salary increase for its members and the distribution of bonuses equivalent to those received by employees of the National Oil Corporation, the state-run entity responsible for the country’s oil production.

The ultimatum given by the PFG on February 15 set a 10-day deadline for the government in Tripoli to address their grievances, and it included a threat to shut down the nation’s oil fields if their demands were not met.

As of 3:15 p.m. local time (1315 GMT), there has been no official response from the government regarding the PFG’s decision to close the oil fields.

Libya possesses the largest crude reserves in Africa. However, continuous conflict and violence since the ouster of ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 have severely impacted oil production and exports in the country. The latest disruption further exacerbates concerns about stability in the Libyan oil sector, with potential implications for global oil markets.