Libyan oil port takeover gives edge to eastern commander

Less than a fortnight after forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar swept into four of Libya's oil ports, tankers are loading, production has jumped, and momentum has shifted firmly in the divisive former general's favor.

For Haftar's opponents, and for Western powers, the move on the ports was alarming. Haftar and his backers in eastern Libya have been in a stand-off for months with a unity government in Tripoli, blocking any parliamentary vote to endorse it and challenging the U.N.-mediated deal to unify Libya.

How Haftar and his allies will use control of the country's major oil exports – whether to leverage political advantage under that U.N. deal, or to extend military control across Libya – is still uncertain. But risks to stability are clear.