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World / Middle East

Guard killed in 'IS attack' near Libya oil plant

Published: 24 Apr 2016 - 12:00 am | Last Updated: 28 Nov 2021 - 08:05 pm
Peninsula

A general view of the El Sharara oilfield, Libya December 3, 2014. REUTERS/Ismail Zitouny/File Photo


Tripoli: An Islamic State group attack on a checkpoint near an oil plant in eastern Libya on Saturday killed a guard and wounded seven others, a military source said.

"A major force 60-vehicles strong" mounted the attack south of Brega, 700 kilometres (435 miles) east of Tripoli, the LANA news agency said.

"Saturday's IS assault killed one guard and wounded seven, including the official responsible for guarding oil installations," it added.

Since January 4, the jihadist group has staged several attacks on ports and oil terminals, notably Ras Lanuf and Al-Sidra, from its coastal base in Sirte, hometown of slain dictator Moamer Kadhafi.

Libya has been in chaos since the 2011 uprising that ousted and killed Kadhafi, with IS taking advantage of the turmoil to gain ground in the oil-rich country.

It has the largest oil reserves in Africa, estimated at 48 billion barrels. Its pre-uprising output of 1.6 million barrels per day has since shrunk by a third.

AFP