Daijiworld Media Network - Tripoli
Tripoli, Aug 11: Firefighters are battling a massive blaze at Libya’s Zawiya refinery after a drone attack targeted a fuel storage tank, prompting the country’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) to warn that it could declare force majeure and suspend operations if further attacks continue.
Libya’s Ambulance and Emergency Service said on Tuesday that there were no serious injuries in the incident, with most people treated for smoke inhalation.
Footage verified by Al Jazeera showed huge flames and thick black smoke rising from the facility, located around 40 km west of the capital, Tripoli. The Zawiya refinery is Libya’s largest operating refinery, with a refining capacity of around 120,000 barrels per day.
The NOC said the fire broke out on Monday evening at tank 402-T, operated by the Brega Oil Company. The tank contained around 4.5 million litres of gasoline and was “directly targeted”, resulting in a severe fire before the tank completely collapsed.
According to the NOC, the incident followed drone attacks on a water desalination plant at the refinery on Sunday and a naphtha reservoir on Saturday.
The corporation declared a “maximum emergency” in the area and called on authorities to investigate the attacks and bring those responsible to justice. No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks and the NOC did not identify any suspected perpetrators.
Hours later, the NOC said the refinery continued to face sabotage attempts, with another drone targeting an oil blending and filling plant operated by the Zawiya Oil Refining Company.
The drone fell near the facility’s main oil tank and a pipeline network used to produce oil products for the domestic market. The incident did not cause casualties or damage, the NOC said.
The company warned that continued attacks could force it to declare a state of force majeure and suspend refinery operations.
The Brega Oil Company appealed to all parties to stop fighting and keep away from oil facilities and storage depots. It said oil installations are vital infrastructure belonging to all Libyans and that protecting them is a national responsibility.
The attacks highlight the continuing security challenges facing Libya, where rival administrations and armed groups continue to wield influence despite a 2020 ceasefire that ended major fighting.
Libya has remained politically divided since 2014, following the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that overthrew longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi.
Two rival administrations continue to compete for power, with the United Nations-recognised government based in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, while a rival administration in eastern Libya is backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar.
The Tripoli-based government said Dbeibah held a meeting with senior officials, including the interior minister and commanders of armed groups in the capital, to review the latest security developments.
Dbeibah stressed the need to take firm action against any violations or activities that threaten security or damage vital facilities and infrastructure, the government said.
Separately, a Libyan parliamentary committee condemned the attack and called for stronger protection of oil installations.
The House of Representatives’ Energy and Natural Resources Committee described the Zawiya refinery as one of the country’s most important oil and gas facilities and a cornerstone of the national economy.