Explosion hits Libya’s Zawiya refinery after drone incident
A fuel tank explosion sparked a fire at Libya’s Zawiya refinery on Monday, days after a drone strike, with the cause of the latest blast still unclear.
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An explosion occurred in a fuel tank at the Zawiya refinery in Libya on Monday, igniting a fire in one of the tanks. The cause and nature of the blast remain unclear.
Two sources told Reuters that the explosions took place inside a fuel tank at the refinery. Al Hadath correspondent reported a powerful explosion and a subsequent fire in one of the tanks at the Zawiya facility.
The correspondent added that the fire may have been triggered by a drone strike, though there has been no confirmation regarding the nature of the incident or who was responsible.
This latest development comes two days after another incident at the refinery, when a drone crashed into a tank containing unrefined naphtha early Saturday morning, causing a leak that workers managed to contain.
Following that incident, the Zawiya Oil Refining Company confirmed that the drone had struck a tank holding unprocessed oil, resulting in a leak that was brought under control by staff.
The company also stated at the time that no fires broke out and there were no injuries at the refinery.
The Zawiya refinery is located in a city in western Libya known for the strong presence of armed groups, with overlapping interests in fuel smuggling, control of ports, and irregular migration routes.