A cargo of 650,000 barrels of crude left the Libyan port of Hariga yesterday, in the eastern part of the conflict-torn country, sparking what promises to be another phase in the conflict as the Islamic-leaning government in Tripoli vows to block the maneuver. This premature attempt at crude oil exports could have huge implications for international efforts to unite the country under the new Government of National Accord (GNA), which was formed with UN support, because eastern Libya is controlled by a government based in Tobruk, which has not yet recognized the GNA of Fayez Serraj. The eastern government works with an eastern division of the Libyan National Oil Company (NOC). The western division of the NOC also has international backing and recognition as the original NOC, while the eastern one is considered a breakaway formation. The latter has been trying for a while to start its own oil […]