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A massive fire broke out at Libya’s Zawiya refinery after a drone attack, prompting the country’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) to warn that it could halt operations and declare force majeure if further attacks continue.
Firefighters battled the blaze at the refinery, Libya’s largest operating oil-processing facility, on Tuesday. The refinery has a capacity of about 120,000 barrels per day and is located around 40km west of the capital, Tripoli.
Libya’s Ambulance and Emergency Service said there were no serious injuries in the incident, although several people were treated for smoke inhalation.
The NOC said the fire erupted Monday evening after a drone directly struck tank 402-T, operated by the Brega Oil Company. The tank was holding about 4.5 million litres of gasoline when it was hit, causing a major fire before the tank eventually collapsed.
The attack followed two other reported drone strikes at the refinery in recent days. A water desalination facility was targeted on Sunday, while a naphtha reservoir was struck on Saturday, according to the NOC.
The oil company declared a “maximum emergency” in the area and called for an investigation into the attacks and the prosecution of those responsible.
The NOC later said the refinery remained under attack, reporting that another drone targeted an oil blending and filling facility operated by the Zawiya Oil Refining Company.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, and the NOC has not identified those believed to be behind them.
The repeated strikes have raised concerns over the security of Libya’s critical oil infrastructure and the potential disruption of fuel supplies if operations at the refinery are suspended.