The U.S. imposition of sanctions on Thursday against Libyan and Maltese smugglers of its oil has received positive Libyan acclaim.

Fathi Bashagha, the Interior Minister of the internationally recognized Libyan government said the U.S. Treasury Department sanctions are just ‘‘the tip of the iceberg’’. He added that sanctions will strike at corrupt people who have contributed to undermining peace and spreading chaos and division in the Libya.

Tweeting on his personal Twitter account, Bashagha added that his Interior Ministry is working closely with international anti-corruption authorities and monitoring money laundering operations, stressing that they will not hesitate to expose corrupt people, no matter where they are.

Meanwhile, Libya’s state National Oil Corporation (NOC) welcomed the U.S. sanctions on the network of smugglers that it said has contributed significantly to the destabilization of Libya.

It added that it will continue to monitor fuel smuggling operations in the various regions of Libya, and work with the Public Prosecutor’s Office and the UN Security Council Sanctions Committee to hold those involved in these illegal acts accountable.