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Libya's al-Ghani oilfield attacked by gunmen

Xinhua, March 7, 2015 Adjust font size:

Libya's southern oil field al-Ghani was attacked by unknown militants on Friday, leaving at least eight dead, according to a statement from Libya's state-run National Oil Corporation (NOC).

The NOC statement said eight guards were killed and none of the field's workers were hurt.

It was not immediately clear about the identities of the attackers.

Some local citizens said they saw heavy smoke rising from the site.

Last week, some militants loyal to the terror organization Islamic State (IS) mounted attacks on Libya's eastern oil plants, forcing the NOC to declare 11 oil fields non-operational.

Libya has witnessed a drastic escalation of violence after the 2011 turmoil which toppled Muammar Gaddafi.

The Islamist militants and pro-secular militia have been vying for cities and towns for months, making a security havoc in the north African country.

Some IS affiliates took the chance and seized some cities like Sirte and Derna. Endit