Unknown attackers struck a major gasoline reservoir at Libya’s Zawiya oil refinery west of Tripoli, triggering a fire that caused the tank to collapse, according to the National Oil Corporation (NOC). The facility is the country’s second-largest refinery.
The NOC said the reservoir contained approximately 4.5 million litres of gasoline. In a statement, the corporation condemned the assault alongside similar recent attacks on the complex, including drone strikes on a naphtha reservoir and a water desalination plant over the weekend. A parliamentary panel also denounced the incident and called for stronger protection of oil installations.
The attack follows an incident last month in which protesters, angered by frequent and prolonged power cuts, forced entry into the Mellitah gas complex and brought operations to a halt. Libya holds Africa’s most abundant proven oil reserves, yet the sector remains highly vulnerable amid a protracted political crisis. The country has been divided since the 2011 uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi. Two rival administrations currently vie for power: the internationally recognised government in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah, and an eastern-based administration backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar.
In response to the latest violence, Dbeibah convened a security meeting with the interior minister and chiefs of armed groups in the capital to review recent developments. According to a government statement, the prime minister stressed the need to deal firmly with any transgressions that threaten security or harm vital facilities and installations. Authorities have not identified the perpetrators of the Zawiya attack, and investigations are ongoing.
