Libyan emergency services are battling to contain a massive blaze at the Zawiya oil refinery after it was hit by a drone strike on Monday evening.
The strike, which marks the third incident in two days targeting Libya’s oil sector, directly struck a 4.5‑million‑litre fuel tank, causing it to collapse.
The National Oil Corporation (NOC) cautioned that the attacks could force them to suspend refinery operations if the attacks become a pattern. It called for a thorough investigation into the perpetrators.
The NOC also highlighted that the Zawiya refinery is Libya’s largest operational facility, producing about 120,000 barrels per day.
Despite the scale of the blaze, there were no reported serious injuries. Most treated patients suffered from smoke inhalation, according to Libya’s Ambulance and Emergency Service.
The incident serves as a stark reminder of the continued instability that persists in Libya, which has been divided into rival factions since the ouster of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Gaddafi’s 40‑year rule was ended by a widespread rebellion that received backing from Western military forces, leading to civil conflict that split the country into an east‑facing faction backed by military leader Khalifa Haftar and a west‑aligned government led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah.
The latest attacks on critical infrastructure, including a naphtha reservoir and a desalination plant, demonstrate the sectionalized power struggles threatening economic stability in the nation.
