A major fire broke out at Libya’s Zawiya oil refinery on Monday night after what officials say was a drone attack, the third strike on the facility in 48 hours.
Emergency crews worked through the night to control the blaze at the plant west of Tripoli. The National Oil Corporation said a storage tank holding about 4.5 million litres of fuel took a direct hit, which caused the tank to collapse and ignited a large fire.
The NOC warned it may have to pause operations at Zawiya if the attacks keep happening. The refinery is Libya’s largest working facility, producing about 120,000 barrels of oil per day.
Libya’s Ambulance and Emergency Service said there were no serious injuries. Most people treated were dealing with smoke inhalation.
In statements on Tuesday, the NOC also condemned earlier strikes in the same area, including drone hits on a naphtha reservoir and a water desalination plant. It called on authorities to find out who is behind the attacks.
The latest strikes underscore how unstable Libya remains. The country has been divided since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi. Power is split between a government in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah and a rival administration in the east backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar. The two sides have been competing for control for years.
