UN mission condemns attacks on oil installations in Libya

The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) Saturday strongly condemned the renewed attacks on Libya's oil installations, which set ablaze storage tanks in the Sidra oil terminal.

The mission warned of the environmental and economic consequences as a result of this violence and destruction in the Oil Crescent area, and urges the forces on the ground to cooperate in order to allow the fire crews to extinguish the blaze, Xinhua reported.

The mission renewed its call for a ceasefire, including airstrikes, which threaten to further widen the conflict.

"These attacks are in clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions on Libya. Libyan oil belongs to all the Libyan people and is the country's economic lifeline," the mission said.

UNSMIL also condemned the attack by unidentified gunmen Thursday that killed a number of guards on duty at a power station near the city of Sirte.

Since Dec 13, Libya Dawn militias have launched an operation called "Sunrise Operation to liberate oil ports and fields", which is aimed at taking control of the Oil Crescent area.

Oil Crescent area includes a group of cities between the cities of Benghazi and Sirte. It owns the largest oil reserves in the country, in addition to the ports of Sidra, Ras Lanuf and Brega.