The Libyan Defense Ministry said on Tuesday that it won't allow mercenaries and criminal gangs to take advantage of oil fields and energy resources in Libya.

The Deputy Defense Minister Salah Al-Namroush said in a statement that energy resources and oil fields and terminals as well as water springs are for Libyans and won't be allowed to fall in the hands of vandals and extortionists as well as mercenaries and criminal gangs.

Al-Namroush also said that the Libyan military institution is under the authority of the state executive, legislative and judicial apparatuses just like other institutions, saying having weapons doesn't mean that the Defense Ministry can seize power, and "if it did so, it should be punished".

The Libyan National Oil Corporation said Friday it was concerned about the presence of Russian and other foreign mercenaries at Sharara oilfield, Libya's largest, after information pointed to Wagner Group mercenaries' entry and control over the oilfield.

Wall Street Journal reported European officials as saying that Russian military recruits had helped Haftar's forces seize control of Sharara oilfield, saying a Russian cargo plane had been making flights from Russian base in Syria to Libya in recent weeks bringing arms' shipments to support Haftar.