UPDATE 9-Nigerian militants launch new attacks in "oil war"

(Releads, adds cut in Nigeria oil output, hostages)

By Austin Ekeinde

PORT HARCOURT, Nigeria, Sept 15 (Reuters) - Nigerian militants on Monday attacked oil facilities, killing a guard and forcing the evacuation of nearly 100 workers, in a third day of fighting with security forces that has disrupted oil output.

Security sources said the three days of clashes were the heaviest between the two sides since the Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger Delta (MEND) launched a campaign of violence in early 2006 saying it wanted more local control of the impoverished region's oil wealth.

MEND declared an "oil war" on Sunday and warned all oil workers to leave the delta immediately, threatening to disrupt production further in the world's eighth largest oil exporter.

"MEND reiterates its previous warnings to all oil workers in the entire Niger Delta region to evacuate from oil facilities and halt production with immediate effect or they will have themselves to blame," the group said in an e-mailed statement.

Two security sources in the oil industry, who did not want to be named, said more than 100 people may have been killed by the fighting, which has spread to at least seven villages in Rivers state.

Up to 115,000 barrels per day of oil production may have been halted since Saturday, government officials said. A fifth of the OPEC member's oil output has already been shut down for the last two years due to the violence.

Oil traders shrugged off the news as prices CLc1 briefly hit a seven-month low near $94 a barrel on Monday.

GUNBOAT ATTACK

Around 10 militant gunboats attacked a Royal Dutch Shell (RDSa.L) flow station and gas plant at Alakiri in Rivers state early Monday morning, a military spokesman said.

"The attack lasted over an hour. Dynamite and bombs were massively detonated by the miscreants," said Lieutenant Colonel Sagir Musa, spokesman for the military task force in Rivers state. "The situation is being closely monitored and is under control."

A Shell spokeswoman said a security guard was killed and four other people were wounded in the attack.

The company has reduced the number of employees at some of its Nigerian oilfields, but it could not specify how many or from which fields due to security reasons.

An industry source said nearly 100 staff were evacuated from the facility.

Nigeria's senior oil workers' union PENGASSAN, representing around 25,000 employees, is considering the evacuation of its members in the Niger Delta due to security concerns, said Bayo Olowoshile, the group's secretary general.

CASUALTIES

Musa said militants incurred heavy losses in the last three days and no soldiers had been killed. He would not specify the number of casualties. MEND said at least 22 soldiers and seven others were killed since Saturday. It was not possible to independently verify claims from either side.

The two oil industry security sources said the fighting involved the army, navy and air force.

"This is just the start of a major military offensive in the delta that is likely to continue for the next couple of weeks," a security source said.

"The military has declined to say how many people have died in fear of whipping up public sentiment against them," he added.

Musa on Sunday denied the military had launched a major offensive, saying it was responding to assaults from militants. MEND said the military attacks were unprovoked.

The Niger Delta is a vast network of narrow creeks and remote villages, and initial reports of fighting are often confused. The military and the militants regularly accuse each other of propaganda when clashes take place.

MEND has also attacked a Chevron (CVX.N) oil platform and Shell-operated pipelines and gas plant in the last three days.

The deteriorating security situation in the delta, home to Nigeria's oil sector, is considered to be the biggest hindrance to economic growth in Africa's most populous country. (Additional reporting and writing by Randy Fabi in Abuja; Editing by Mark Trevelyan and Richard Balmforth)