Two oil depots at Libya’s second most important terminal, Ras Lanuf, have been entirely destroyed after an attack by militias, leading to the loss of 400,000 barrels of oil, the Ras Lanuf Transportation Unit of the Harouge Oil Operations company has announced.
The news has been confirmed in a statement released by Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) on the "catastrophic losses at Ras Lanuf terminal".
The NOC warned that the damage could spread to other depots at Ras Lanuf, saying this would paralyse the facility entirely.
A striking image of a depot in flames has been released by the NOC on Twitter:
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أضرار كارثية ÙÙŠ مرÙØ£ رأس لانوÙ#المؤسسسة_الوطنية_للنÙØ·https://t.co/TEUU7J269N pic.twitter.com/jiGZPpYzID
— National Oil Corporation المؤسسة الوطنية للنÙØ· (@NOC_Libya) June 18, 2018
The NOC earlier called on the militants attacking the terminals to leave immediately, warning of catastrophic economic and environmental consequences.
The corporation urged the immediate withdrawal of forces opposed to the Libyan military strongman, General Khalifa Haftar.
His self-styled Libyan National Army has controlled the oil-producing region, which is crucial to the country's economy, since 2016.
A rival militia, known as the Petroleum Facilities Guard, began its attack on Thursday.
The Libyan Red Crescent says at least 28 people have died in the clashes.