Nigerian militants launch new attacks in ‘oil war’

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria (Reuters) – Nigerian militants on Monday attacked a Shell-operated oil facility, forcing the evacuation of nearly 100 staff, in a third day of fighting with security forces in the Niger Delta.

Security sources said the three days of clashes were the heaviest between the two sides since the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) launched a campaign of violence in early 2006 saying they wanted more local control of the impoverished region’s oil wealth.

MEND declared an “oil war” on Sunday and warned all oil workers to leave the delta immediately, threatening to disrupt production further in the world’s eighth largest oil exporter.

Two security sources in the oil industry, who did not want to be named, said more than 100 people may have been killed by the fighting, which has spread to at least seven villages in Rivers state

Reuters