Fires caused by fighting between Islamic State militants and guards near Libya's biggest oil ports have now spread to five oil storage tanks, a Petroleum Facilities Guard spokesman has said, Reuters is reporting.
Four oil storage tanks were reported as being on fire earlier today.
A spokesman for Libya's Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG), which protects Libya's national oil installations, has said that there is no coordination with Libya’s Gen. Khalifa Haftar, who leads forces allied to the country’s recognized government, over air strikes against the IS group around Sidra, according to the Al Wasat news site.
IS attacked Libya's oil facilities including in Sidra, on January 4 and 5.
PFG commander Ibrahim Jadhran criticized Haftar on January 5, saying that he and IS are "two faces of the same coin."
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that seven oil tanks are now on fire in Libya's eastern oil ports and says there are fears that the IS assault on Sidra and Ras Lanuf will inflict long term damage on Libya's oil industry.
Five of the seven tanks are ablaze at Sidra and two at Ras Lanuf. Firefighters have been unable to enter the facilities because of the potential danger.
The chairman of Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) has issued a statement via the company's website condemning the attacks by the IS group on NOC facilities at Sidra.
"I hope this appalling violence will lead political leaders on all sides in Libya to understand the magnitude of the threat we face. I encourage them urgently to put aside their differences. We need to unite against this common enemy, not tomorrow or next week, but now," Mustafa Sanalla said.
"I urge the swift formation of a national unity government and the establishment of a unified force structure capable of bringing peace to this country and protecting its natural resources. Libya’s oil belongs to all of Libya’s people and must be protected. Security and stability can only be attained by all our communities working together. Political leaders in Libya must face up to their responsibilities and confront the threats that Libya faces."
Libya's National Oil Corporation has also issued a statement on its website condemning the attacks by the IS group on Sidra and Ras Lanuf in the country's oil crescent on January 4 and 5.
The National Oil Corporation, Tripoli, represented by its board of directors and on behalf of its affiliates and employees:
Condemns, in the strongest terms, the vicious attacks on the oil crescent area over the last two days and deplores the loss of life and the damage caused to tanks at Ras Lanuf and Es Sidar. Mourns the loss of life, wishes a speedy recovery to those who have been wounded and commends the efforts made to repel the attack and the efforts of the fire fighters.
Reaffirms its independency and impartiality as well as its determination to preserve the resources and assets of our country for the benefit of all the people of Libya.
Calls on all political and military entities in Libya to put aside their differences and unite against this common enemy. Calls also upon the citizens of Libya to do their utmost to protect their patrimony and to unite to repel the aggression.
Urges the swift formation of a national unity government and the establishment of a unified force structure capable of bringing peace and protecting Libya’s natural resources.
The U.S. Department of Defense has published details of the U.S.-led coalition's latest strikes against the IS group in Iraq and Syria.
There was one strike in Syria, on an IS headquarters near the group's stronghold of Raqqa.
There were 19 strikes in Iraq including near Haditha, where there have been heavy clashes between IS and Iraqi security and tribal forces over the past three days. Eight strikes were carried out near Ramadi, where Iraqi forces have been clearing out IS militants after retaking the city center.
Back in Libya, Petroleum Facilities Guard fighters injured in clashes with IS militants near Sidra in Libya's oil crescent have been transferred to Misrata for medical treatment. The photos show them arriving in Misrata.
The Libya Observer tweeted this image earlier showing a list of 18 Petroleum Facilities Guard fighters injured in the clashes at Sidra on January 5.
At least 20 Syrian rebel commanders -- mostly hardline Islamists -- have died in targeted killings in Syria since December, according to activists, AFP reports.
No armed group has taken responsibility for the assassinations, whose targets include seven leading officers in Al-Qaeda's Syrian affiliate the Al Nusra Front. The most recent killing occurred today in Homs province: Abu Rateb al-Homsi, a local commander with the hardline Islamist Ahrar al-Sham group was killed.
According to Thomas Pierret, a Syria specialist at the University of Edinburgh, "the regime and its allies are by far the main suspects" in the killings.
"One of the components of the counter-insurgency strategy implemented by Russia since September is the decapitation of the insurgent leadership," he added.
With help from their Russian ally, intelligence services in Damascus have been able to gather better information on senior rebel figures, Pierret said.
More news of the aftermath of the deadly clashes between IS and Petroleum Facilities Guard fighters in Sidra -- as fears remain that IS is regrouping for another assault.
U.S. Army Col. Steve Warren tweets that Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service (CTS) are carrying out clearance operations to the east of Ramadi's city center and are encountering booby traps and pockets of resistance from IS militants remaining in the city.
The U.S.-led coalition is providing close air support for the operation.