Libyan authorities battle big blaze at major oil refinery

What the report says

Libyan emergency crews have been fighting a major fire at the Zawiya oil refinery, west of Tripoli, after it was struck by a drone on Monday evening, according to BBC Africa. The National Oil Corporation said the hit was the third attack in two days in the same area and that a fuel tank holding about 4.5 million litres was directly targeted, causing it to collapse and ignite a large blaze.

The Ambulance and Emergency Service said on Tuesday that there were no serious injuries, though some people were treated for smoke inhalation. BBC Africa reported that the refinery is Libya’s largest operating oil facility, with a capacity of 120,000 barrels per day, making the damage potentially significant for the country’s energy sector.

The National Oil Corporation condemned the earlier attacks in Zawiya, including strikes on a naphtha reservoir and a water desalination plant, and urged authorities to investigate who was responsible. The incidents add to concerns about instability in Libya, where rival administrations in the east and west have competed for power since the fall of Muammar Gaddafi. More generally, repeated attacks on energy infrastructure can disrupt fuel supplies and intensify pressure on a country already facing political division.