Nigeria's most prominent militant group on Sunday declared an "oil war" in the restive Niger Delta after two days of major gunbattles with security forces. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND), responsible for attacks that have cut a fifth of the OPEC member's oil output, repeated its warning for all oil workers to evacuate the delta and expanded its threat to oil vessels.
"The operation will continue until the government of Nigeria appreciates that the solution to peace in the Niger Delta is justice, respect and dialogue," MEND said in an emailed statement.
The group said it had already attacked flow stations and oil pipelines, including a Chevron-operated platform in Kula. It said 22 Nigerian soldiers had been killed, but this could not be independently verified. A Chevron official confirmed one of its oil platforms was attacked by militants on Sunday, but production had already been shut down due to pipeline problems stemming from a previous attack in late July.
A security source said militants also attacked a Shell-operated gas plant in Soku. A Shell spokeswoman could not immediately comment. A military spokesman said no oil facilities were affected by two days of heavy fighting.
RETALIATION:
Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, spokesman for the military task force in Rivers state, said militants attacked several locations early Sunday morning in retaliation for what it said were heavy losses in fighting the previous day. He declined to specify how many were killed.
"There were heavy casualties on the part of the militants. They are losing ground," Musa said. "We are hopeful they will give up the fight very soon."
The heavy fighting began on Saturday in Tombia, in Rivers state, where MEND said at least seven people were killed.
MEND said the military launched an "unprovoked offensive" against its militant camps in the Niger Delta, a vast network of mangrove creeks that is the main source of Nigeria's 2 million barrels per day output.
But army said Saturday's fighting began after militants attacked a military patrol boat. MEND said security forces had used helicopters, jet fighters and more than 20 gunboats in Saturday's fighting.
A security source said soldiers from the army, navy and air force were involved in the clashes.
Security in the Niger Delta worsened dramatically in early 2006 when militants, who say they are fighting for more local control of the impoverished region's oil wealth, started blowing up oil pipelines and kidnapping foreign workers.
President Umaru Yar'Adua has been under mounting pressure to bring stability to the delta, one of his many promises upon taking office 16 months ago.
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