Libyan strongman Haftar 'ready' to lift oil blockade

Libyan strongman General Khalifa Haftar says he is ready to temporarily lift his blockade of the country's oil production facilities.

The rival government which backs him in eastern Libya submitted its resignation earlier this week after protests in Benghazi and other cities over deteriorating living conditions and corruption.

Gen Haftar said Friday's announcement about lifting the oil blockade followed an agreement with the UN-backed government in Tripoli under which oil revenues would be distributed fairly.

A government minister has said a committee would be set up to oversee the handling of the revenue.

But the national oil company says it won't resume operations until Gen Haftar's forces leave the production facilities.

His blockade - which began January - has starved the Libyan economy of billions of dollars of desperately needed export earnings.

Before the blockade, Libya was producing around 1.2 million barrels per day compared to just over 100,000 barrels per day, according to Reuters.