Faraj Boumtari, the former Libyan Finance Minister who was kidnapped last week in Tripoli, has been released following interventions by the Libyan Attorney General. The head of the Supreme Council of the Zawiya tribes, Senussi Al-Haliq, confirmed the news on Saturday, putting an end to the crisis that led to the closure of oil fields in Libya.
The Zawiya tribe, to which Boumtari belongs, had accused the governor of the Central Bank of Libya, Sadiq Al-Kabir, of masterminding the kidnapping to prevent Boumtari from competing for the position. The tribe had also announced the closure of oil fields, including the Elephant and Sharara fields, to protest against Boumtari’s abduction.
The Council of Elders and Notables of the southeast in Libya had also announced the closure of the man-made river in Tazirbu and Al-Sarir until Boumtari’s release. They held the National Unity Government, led by Abdel Hamid Dbeibah, entirely responsible.
The closure of the oil fields resulted in a loss of 340,000 barrels for the country, according to the Libyan Oil Minister, Mohammad Aoun. Prior to the closure, Libya was producing about 1.2 million barrels per day.
The Ministry of Oil had warned that the continuous closure of several oil fields could lead to a declaration of a state of force majeure. The ministry added that the loss of confidence in the permanence of the supply of Libyan oil to the global market could result in Libyan oil remaining unsold, or demand for it declining.
