A massive fireball erupted from a fuel tank at Libya’s Zawiya refinery on Monday evening.
Footage shows the tank engulfed in flames as dense clouds of smoke billow over the refinery and surrounding area.
Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) said a tank belonging to the Brega Oil Marketing Company was directly targeted, sparking the blaze. The tank reportedly held around 4.5 million litres of gasoline.
Residents living near the refinery were evacuated as emergency crews battled the fire, with authorities warning of the danger posed by the heavy smoke.
The blaze is the latest in a string of attacks on vital infrastructure around Zawiya.
The NOC said another refinery tank was hit by a drone on Saturday, while a desalination facility in the city was also reportedly targeted. The corporation has warned that continued attacks could force it to shut the refinery. No group has claimed responsibility.
The attacks follow days of violent clashes between rival armed groups in western Libya, including forces from the Anti-Security Threats Apparatus and the 103rd Infantry Battalion. At least four people were reported killed and 10 wounded in fighting between the groups last week.
Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh later held a security meeting to discuss the unrest, stressing “the need to deal firmly with any violations or acts that would threaten security or harm vital facilities and infrastructure.”
Libya remains split between rival administrations in the country’s east and west, with competing armed groups wielding significant influence more than a decade after the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi.
Source: Viory
