An attempt by Daesh (ISIS) militants to take control of a huge Libyan oilfield is wreaking havoc in the war-torn country this week and producing oil fires fierce enough to be seen from satellite imagery taken from space.
The oil field—located in Libya's exporting port of Sidra—became the site of a battle between Daesh and Libya's petroleum infrastructure force. At the height of the violence, a rocket believed to be fired by Daesh militants from outside the city set a petroleum storage tank ablaz Tuesday, Voice of America reports.
Meanwhile, another oil fire was raging elsewhere in the country after Daesh militants attacked a group of guards protecting it, a petroleum tank in the nearby city of Ras Lanuf also took hold.
Firefighters have already put two fires there, but five other tanks remain ablaze in the nearby port of Es Sider, according to Petroleum Facilities Guard, speaking to Reuters.
Libya has been the site of brutal clashes between warring government loyalists and various militias, including Daesh. Now, humanitarian and political groups warn the country is on the brink of disaster if groups cannot find unity against a deepening threat by the hardline militant group.
NASA's Aqua satellite captured some of the billowing black smoke Wednesday as it blew east and northeast. Another satellite called Terra captured more of the blaze as it began blowing southeast Thursday.
See the satellite images below, via NASA.
