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Libyan authorities have battled a major blaze at the country’s largest operational oil refinery after a drone strike hit the facility.
The refinery, located west of the capital, Tripoli, was targeted on Monday evening, marking the third reported attack in two days.
The National Oil Corporation (NOC) said a storage tank containing about 4.5 million litres of fuel was directly hit and later collapsed after catching fire.
Emergency teams battled the blaze, while the NOC warned that it could suspend operations if the attacks continue.
Libya’s Ambulance and Emergency Service said on Tuesday that there were no “serious injuries” from the incident. Most of those treated suffered from smoke inhalation.
The Zawiya refinery has a production capacity of about 120,000 barrels per day, making it a key part of Libya’s oil industry.
The NOC also condemned two earlier drone attacks in Zawiya, which targeted a naphtha storage facility and a water desalination plant.
The corporation called on authorities to investigate the attacks and identify those responsible.
The latest violence has renewed concerns over Libya’s long-running political and security crisis.
The country has remained divided since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed former leader Muammar Gaddafi, who had ruled Libya for four decades after taking power in 1969.
Since then, rival authorities have competed for political and military control, with Khalifa Haftar-backed forces dominating much of the east and the internationally recognised government led by Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeibah based in Tripoli.
