Ra's Lanuf raid
Encyclopedia
The Ra's Lanuf raid was a hit-and-run attack carried out in the early morning of 12 September 2011 by two groups of Muammar Gaddafi
's loyalists in an apparently coordinated effort to disrupt oil refinery and export operations in the National Transitional Council
-administered port town of Ra's Lanuf
, Libya
, during the 2011 Libyan civil war
.
ists, setting fire to the oil facility. They clashed with anti-Gaddafi
security forces, and five were killed while the rest were arrested, Hasi said. The New York Times
was unable to confirm this series of events, which was initially reported by the Associated Press
.
to appear friendly
, apparently moving out of a refugee camp 30km south of Ra's Lanuf attacked the port. He said that 10 pro-Gaddafi attackers were killed in the ensuing shootout, and the pro-Gaddafi forces were forced to retreat. A refinery worker's story differed slightly, saying 14 or 15 trucks carrying pro-Gaddafi fighters had come from the west, perhaps from the loyalist stronghold of Sirte
, and attacked the refinery as its 60 staff members slept. There was also no mention of casualties among the attacking force. The fighting reportedly was heaviest around the administration building, with rocket attacks being launched against the refinery, but much of the complex was unscathed. A spokesman for the NTC said 15 to 17 anti-Gaddafi fighters were killed in the attack. There were no further reports of fighting in the city.
Benghazi
-based Colonel Ahmed Bani
said defenders in Ra's Lanuf reported the attackers "did not look like Libyans" and suggested they could be refugees paid to fight by well-monied Gaddafi loyalists.
Muammar Gaddafi
Muammar Muhammad Abu Minyar Gaddafi or "September 1942" 20 October 2011), commonly known as Muammar Gaddafi or Colonel Gaddafi, was the official ruler of the Libyan Arab Republic from 1969 to 1977 and then the "Brother Leader" of the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya from 1977 to 2011.He seized power in a...
's loyalists in an apparently coordinated effort to disrupt oil refinery and export operations in the National Transitional Council
National Transitional Council
The National Transitional Council of Libya , sometimes known as the Transitional National Council, the Interim National Council, or the Libyan National Council,...
-administered port town of Ra's Lanuf
Ra's Lanuf
Ra's Lanuf is a Mediterranean town in northern Libya, on the Gulf of Sidra. The town is also home to the Ra's Lanuf Refinery, completed in 1984, with a crude oil refining capacity of . The oil refinery is operated by the Ra's Lanuf Oil & Gas Processing Company, a subsidiary of the state-owned...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, during the 2011 Libyan civil war
2011 Libyan civil war
The 2011 Libyan civil war was an armed conflict in the North African state of Libya, fought between forces loyal to Colonel Muammar Gaddafi and those seeking to oust his government. The war was preceded by protests in Benghazi beginning on 15 February 2011, which led to clashes with security...
.
Sabotage attempt
According to Colonel Hamid al-Hasi, 15 people working at the oil terminal in Ra's Lanuf acted as arsonArson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
ists, setting fire to the oil facility. They clashed with anti-Gaddafi
Anti-Gaddafi forces
The anti-Gaddafi forces were Libyan groups that opposed and militarily defeated the government of Muammar Gaddafi, killing him in the process. These opposition forces included organised and armed militia groups, participants in the 2011 Libyan civil war, Libyan diplomats who switched their...
security forces, and five were killed while the rest were arrested, Hasi said. The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
was unable to confirm this series of events, which was initially reported by the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
.
Hit-and-run raid
Fadl-Allah Haroun, another anti-Gaddafi commander, reported that a convoy of up to 40 vehicles, reportedly flying the tricolour flagFlag of Libya
The Libyan Independence Flag or Flag of Libya was the original flag of the Kingdom of Libya introduced in 1951 following the creation of the Libyan state in the post World War II period...
to appear friendly
False flag
False flag operations are covert operations designed to deceive the public in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by other entities. The name is derived from the military concept of flying false colors; that is flying the flag of a country other than one's own...
, apparently moving out of a refugee camp 30km south of Ra's Lanuf attacked the port. He said that 10 pro-Gaddafi attackers were killed in the ensuing shootout, and the pro-Gaddafi forces were forced to retreat. A refinery worker's story differed slightly, saying 14 or 15 trucks carrying pro-Gaddafi fighters had come from the west, perhaps from the loyalist stronghold of Sirte
Sirte
Sirte is a city in LibyaSirte may also refer to:* Sirte Declaration, a 1999 resolution to create the African Union* Sirte Oil Company, a Libyan oil companyIn geography:* Gulf of Sirte, alias for Gulf of Sidra on Libya's coast...
, and attacked the refinery as its 60 staff members slept. There was also no mention of casualties among the attacking force. The fighting reportedly was heaviest around the administration building, with rocket attacks being launched against the refinery, but much of the complex was unscathed. A spokesman for the NTC said 15 to 17 anti-Gaddafi fighters were killed in the attack. There were no further reports of fighting in the city.
Benghazi
Benghazi
Benghazi is the second largest city in Libya, the main city of the Cyrenaica region , and the former provisional capital of the National Transitional Council. The wider metropolitan area is also a district of Libya...
-based Colonel Ahmed Bani
Ahmed Omar Bani
Ahmed Omar Bani is a Libyan Air Force colonel who defected to the military of the rebel Libyan Republic. He is the current spokesman for the Libyan Ministry of Defence, taking over the position from Khaled al-Sayeh.-References:...
said defenders in Ra's Lanuf reported the attackers "did not look like Libyans" and suggested they could be refugees paid to fight by well-monied Gaddafi loyalists.