Large Fire at Libya's Zawiya Oil Refinery After Drone Attack
Al Jazeera Staff
A drone attack sparked a major fire at Libya's Zawiya oil refinery, with flames and thick smoke rising from the site. The NOC warned of potential force majeure and operational suspension if attacks persist, amid ongoing political instability.
A large fire broke out at the Zawiya oil refinery west of Libya's capital Tripoli after a drone attack on Monday. Libya's Emergency and Ambulance Service reported no serious injuries, with most patients treated for smoke inhalation.
Footage verified by Al Jazeera showed massive flames and thick black smoke rising from the plant—Libya's largest operating refinery with a capacity of 120,000 barrels per day, located about 40 km west of the capital.
According to a statement from Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC), the fire began on Monday evening at tank 402-T belonging to Brega Oil Company. The tank, holding approximately 4.5 million liters of gasoline, was directly struck, causing a severe fire before collapsing completely.
The NOC said the attack followed drone strikes on a desalination unit at the complex on Sunday and a naphtha tank on Saturday. The company declared a maximum state of emergency in the area and called on authorities to investigate and bring the perpetrators to justice.
No party has claimed responsibility for the attacks. Hours later, the NOC issued another statement saying the refinery was still under attack when a drone targeted the blending and loading facility operated by the Zawiya Oil Refining Company. The drone landed near the main oil tank and pipeline system serving the domestic market, causing no casualties or damage.
The NOC warned: "The company's board of directors confirms that if these attacks continue, we will have to declare a state of force majeure and suspend operations at the refinery."
Brega Oil Company urged "all parties to cease hostilities and stay away from oil facilities and depots," stressing that "oil facilities are vital infrastructure owned by all Libyan people" and protecting them "is a national responsibility that cannot be taken lightly."
The attacks highlight persistent security challenges in Libya, where rival governments and armed groups maintain influence despite a 2020 ceasefire that ended major hostilities. The country has been divided since 2014, following the NATO-backed uprising that toppled leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Two governments are currently vying for power: the UN-recognized administration in Tripoli led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, and a rival administration in the east backed by military commander Khalifa Haftar.
The Tripoli-based government said Dbeibah held a meeting with key officials, including the interior minister and leaders of several armed groups in the capital, to monitor the latest security developments. He "emphasized the need to deal firmly with any violations or actions that threaten security or harm vital facilities and installations."
In a separate development, the Energy and Natural Resources Committee of the Libyan House of Representatives condemned the attack and called for enhanced protection of oil facilities. The committee described it as "a crime targeting the Zawiya Oil Refinery, one of the most important facilities in the oil and gas sector—the backbone of the national economy."
