Tripoli main fuel depot hit by rockets

Rocket strikes main fuel depot in Libyan capital as foreigners flee and parliament holds emergency meeting.

2 August 2014, 5:41pm

1 min read

Black plumes of smoke rose over the fuel tanks (Photo: Twitter)

Tripoli's main fuel depot has been set ablaze after rockets fired by one of Libya's armed groups struck and ignited a tank, the National Oil company (NOC) said.

Black plumes of smoke rose over the fuel tanks, which store oil for use in the capital and are located near Tripoli's international airport.

Firefighters deployed to tackle the blaze were forced back by the fighting, NOC spokesman Mohamed al-Harari said on Saturday.

Libya's newly elected parliament held an emergency meeting on Saturday to discuss the dire security situation threatening to tear the country apart.

The House of Representatives, elected in May, gathered in an attempt to set a political framework, and guide Libya out of the pit of violence that has raged for weeks in certain parts of the country. The assembly's first official session is scheduled for August 4.