WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) took action today targeting the leader of a militia in Libya that has been the cause of many fatalities this year alone and that has repeatedly attacked critical Libyan oil facilities, causing severe damage to Libya’s economy. Ibrahim Jadhran oversaw forces that attacked Libyan oil facilities in the “oil crescent,” a lucrative target for rogue militias and criminals, thereby damaging the peace and stability of Libya.
“Jadhran’s repeated militia attacks on Libya’s oil facilities have done colossal damage to its economy and robbed the Libyan people of billions of dollars in oil revenue,” said Sigal Mandelker, Treasury Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence. “The wealth generated by Libya’s ‘oil crescent’ belongs to the Libyan people and the legitimate government in Tripoli, and Treasury is taking forceful action against rogue criminals and militia forces who undermine peace and security.”
OFAC designated Ibrahim Jadhran pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13726, “Blocking Property and Suspending Entry Into the United States of Persons Contributing to the Situation in Libya,” for being the leader of an entity that has, or whose members have, engaged in planning, directing, or committing attacks against any Libyan state facility or installation (including oil facilities), against any air, land, or sea port in Libya, or against any foreign mission in Libya.
In June 2018, militia forces under Jadhran’s command attacked and seized control of two oil export terminals in the Libya’s vital “oil crescent” region, which is the source of the majority of Libya’s oil exports. The damage resulting from attacks to these oil facilities resulted in tens of millions of dollars lost each day the facilities were offline. By the time the facilities were retaken days later, the economic and political crisis cost Libya more than $1.4 billion in lost revenue and negatively impacted efforts to promote political progress and stability.
This was Jadhran’s most recent attempt to regain control of the “oil crescent” since 2016, when Jadhran's forces were previously ousted from the “oil crescent.” Jadhran’s attacks have impacted Libyan oil exports since 2013, which has led to billions of dollars of lost revenue for the Libyan economy. In 2014, Jadhran was responsible for the attempt of the vessel Morning Glory to load illicit crude oil from the port of el Sidra, which was later inspected by the United States Navy and returned to Libya.
The United States’ action, any property, or interests in property, of Ibrahim Jadhran within U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in transactions with him. Additionally, the corresponding UN sanctions obligate all UN Member States to impose an asset freeze and travel ban.
Identifying information on the individual designated today.
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