Libyan rebels occupying four eastern oil ports have agreed with the government to gradually end their eight-month petroleum blockade, which has cost the North African state billions in lost revenues.

Zueitina and Hariga ports, held by federalist rebels demanding more autonomy from Tripoli, will open immediately while the larger ports, Ras Lanuf and Es Sider, will be freed in two to four weeks after more talks, the government said.

Ending the oil port standoff will be a major advance for Libya’s fragile government, which has struggled to impose its authority over an unruly nation still in flux nearly three years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.

“The ports Zueitina and Hariga will be handed over to the state with the signature of this agreement. The protesters are banned from returning or obstructing work at the ports,” Justice Minister Salah al-Marghani said, reading out the agreement yesterday.

He said the two larger ports will be reopened in no more than four weeks, after more discussions with the rebels.

Top rebel leader Ibrahim Jathran confirmed the blockage of Zueitina and Hariga ports had ended. “We did this out of goodwill to build trust, have a dialogue and solve all problems between Libyans by peaceful means,” he said in a short speech broadcast by a rebel television station from Zueitina terminal.

Rebel leader Jathran confirms blockage of ports has ended

“We will undertake more measures to strengthen these intentions provided the government fulfills its part,” he said, in clear reference to the reopening of the remaining ports. “We serve Libya’s interests.”

Neither side commented on what rebel demands still needed to be negotiated with the government, leaving room for possible delays in reopening the larger ports.

Zueitina and Hariga ports account for around 200,000 barrels per day of export capacity, while the larger ports previously shipped around 500,000 bpd of Libya’s crude.

Storage tanks are full at the ports, and loading the crude oil will be straightforward. However, getting the tanks resupplied from the oilfields will take time.

The reopening of the eastern oil ports could bump up Libya’s output.

Disputes over Libya’s oil resources underscore how weak the government is to confront brigades of former rebels and militias who refused to disarm after Gaddafi’s fall and often use their military muscle to strong-arm the state.

With its national armed forces still in training, Tripoli’s government often finds itself at the mercy of rival militias who are loosely allied with competing political factions in the country’s Parliament.