The Libyan government and a rebel group stepped up rhetoric on Wednesday as Tripoli responded to a vow by dissidents to sell oil with a threat to sink their cargoes.

The exchange, which comes after Libya shot at a tanker it said was illegally entering its waters on Sunday, raises concerns about whether the chaos, which has cut oil production by more than half in the North African nation and rattled oil markets, could get worse. Libyan oil production has dropped sharply since the rebel militia took over several ports on the country's eastern coast four months ago.

Meanwhile, the autonomous Iraqi region of Kurdistan on Wednesday said it plans to sell the first two million barrels of oil exported through its controversial new pipeline to Turkey at the end of the month.

The prospect of independent exports from Kurdistan to Turkey has infuriated Baghdad , which claims it has sole authority to market Iraqi oil.

The Libyan government has banned shippers from lifting oil at several ports in eastern Libya , including Es Sider, after they fell under the control of the rebel militia seeking autonomy for its region, Cyrenaica .

A letter stamped the "Government of Cyrenaica" and bearing the heading of the previously unknown Libyan Oil & Gas Corp., which was circulated to the Libyan oil sector on Tuesday and has been seen by The Wall Street Journal, calls on tankers to lift from Es Sider.

But Libyan Prime Minister Ali Zeidan on Wednesday warned that government forces would "destroy or sink" any tanker coming to load oil illegally, according to statements posted on his website.
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