Militants attack near Libya's Ras Lanuf oil terminal: Sources
Date
1/21/2016 11:05:53 PM
(MENAFN- The Peninsula) A general view of the industrial zone at the oil port of Ras Lanuf in this March 11 2014 file photo.
BENGHAZI Libya:Suspected Islamic Statemilitants attacked oil installations close to Libya's Ras Lanufterminal on Thursday an engineer at the port and an energyofficial allied with the country's eastern government said andthe group threatened more attacks.
The officials said at least two storage tanks from theHarouge Oil Operations company had been set on fire near RasLanuf where militants also launched attacks earlier this month.
Islamic State fighter Abu Abdelrahman al-Liby said in avideo posted on the group's official Telegram channel: "Today EsSider port and Ras Lanuf and tomorrow the port of Brega andafter the ports of Tobruk Es Serir Jallo and al-Kufra."
The energy official Mohamed al-Manfi said a pipelineleading from the Amal oil field to the Es Sider terminal hadbeen targeted. There were clashes between militants and
Petroleum Facilities Guards but Manfi and a guards source latersaid these had stopped and the militants had retreated.
A spokesman for the state-run National Oil Corporation basedin Tripoli could not immediately be reached for comment.
Libya has become deeply divided since the fall of MuammarGaddafi in 2011 with political and armed factions competing forpower and for the country's oil wealth.
Islamic State militants have taken advantage of a securityvacuum to establish a foothold in the city of Sirte which liesabout 200 km (125 miles) along the coast to the west of RasLanuf and Es Sider.
The terminals Libya's largest have been closed sinceDecember 2014. The country's oil production is less than aquarter of a 2011 high of 1.6 million barrels per day.
Clashes between Petroleum Facilities Guards and IslamicState militants two weeks ago near Es Sider and Ras Lanuf leftseven oil storage tanks damaged by fire and at least 18 guardsdead.
Reuters