In brief
Libyan emergency services fought a large blaze at the Zawiya refinery after a drone strike hit a fuel tank. The refinery, producing 120,000 barrels per day, is the country’s biggest operational oil facility. No serious injuries were reported, but the incident has raised alarms over the growing threat to critical infrastructure. The attack marks the third such strike in two days, highlighting the fragile security situation that split Libya following the 2011 fall of Muammar Gaddafi.
Libyan authorities battle big blaze at major oil refinery
Libyan emergency services have been battling to contain a huge blaze at a major oil plant after it was targeted by unknown attackers.
The Zawiya refinery, located west of the capital Tripoli, was struck in a drone attack on Monday evening – the third such incident in two days. The National Oil Corporation (NOC) said a tank holding about 4.5 million litres of fuel was hit directly, sparking a massive fire that caused the tank to collapse. The NOC warned it might suspend operations if attacks continue.
Emergency responders reported no serious injuries. Most patients treated for smoke inhalation, according to Libya’s Ambulance and Emergency Service.
The refinery’s output of 120,000 barrels per day makes it Libya’s largest operational facility. It suffered out of the sudden attack, adding to concerns about the security of critical infrastructure.
The NOC condemned the drone strikes on other facilities, including a naphtha reservoir and a water desalination plant in Zawiya, and called for an investigation into who orchestrated the attacks. These incidents highlight ongoing instability in a nation split since the 2011 civil war that followed the ousting of former leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Since his overthrow, rival factions—one in the east backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar and one in the west in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Abdulhmid Dbeibah—have vied for political and military control.
