TRIPOLI, May 10 (Xinhua) -- Libya's Anti-Security Threats Apparatus affiliated with the Government of National Unity said on Sunday that five of its members were killed in a drone strike in the western city of Zawiya.
In a statement, the agency said they were killed on Friday while carrying out a joint security operation launched under instructions from the Joint Security Chamber and Zawiya Security Directorate, with support from the Public Prosecutor's Office and relevant judicial authorities, to pursue outlaws wanted for crimes threatening security and social stability.
The security force came under direct attack by a "high-precision" armed drone, resulting in the deaths of several members involved in the operation and injuries to others, said the statement, without providing further details about the party responsible for the attack.
The operation was part of efforts to combat organized crime, drug trafficking, human smuggling, and kidnapping, and targeting its personnel "will not deter security institutions from continuing to perform their duties."
Located about 60 km west of the capital Tripoli, Zawiya hosts Libya's largest operating oil refinery, with a production capacity of 120,000 barrels per day of petroleum products.
The city has witnessed recurring security tensions and armed clashes linked to operations targeting outlaw groups and smuggling networks. ■
