Drones attacked Libya's largest oil refinery.
As a result of the attack, the fuel storage reservoir collapsed and a fire broke out, but the incident was quickly brought under control.
Drones loaded with explosives attacked the oil complex in the Libyan city of Zawiya. The attack caused a fire at a fuel storage facility. The country's National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced that the fire was quickly brought under control. DW reported on this.
The Zawiya oil complex, located west of Tripoli, hosts the country's largest oil refinery.
According to reports, on Monday, unknown forces carried out an attack in which drones loaded with explosives struck the refinery. As a result of the fire, a reservoir containing approximately 4.5 million liters of gasoline collapsed.
The plant's owner, Brega Petroleum Marketing Company, stated that the fire was extinguished faster than expected. Engineers told Reuters that the damage was limited, but the facility's operations have been temporarily suspended.
Libya's internationally recognized Prime Minister, Abdulhamid Dbeibah, said that the attack on civilian infrastructure "will not go unanswered." According to him, striking vital facilities with drones is an "organized and dangerous act" that requires a firm response.
Additionally, early Tuesday morning, two more drones targeted the Zawiya power station. One of them struck the firefighting system, but no serious damage was caused.
It is noted that the attacks occurred against the backdrop of ongoing security problems in Libya. The country has been politically divided since Muammar Gaddafi was ousted from power in 2011. The government in Tripoli controls the west of the country, while the Libyan National Army, led by Khalifa Haftar, controls the eastern regions and parts of the south.
Following the incident, violence also occurred in Benghazi. The Libyan National Army announced that its military intelligence chief, Fawzi al-Mansouri, was killed in a car explosion. Those responsible for the blast have not yet been identified.
Libya is the country with the largest confirmed oil reserves in Africa. In June, the country's oil production reached 1.44 million barrels per day. While this is the highest figure recorded since 2013, it remains below the government's target of producing 2 million barrels per day.
