Country Libya District Sirte Elevation 10 m Local time Tuesday 6:04 AM | Region Tripolitania Time zone EET (UTC+2) Population 9,186 (1995) | |
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Weather 18°C, Wind SE at 23 km/h, 36% Humidity | ||
Sidra or Sidr (Arabic: السدر) is a port about 23 km west of Ra's Lanuf in Libya. It is Libya's largest oil depot, shipping about 447,000 barrels per day (71,100 m3/d), and during the Cold War gave its name to the 'Gulf of Sidra', an alternative name for the Gulf of Sirte. Sidra Airport is directly next to the port.
Contents
Map of As Sidr, Libya
History
This oil port increased in importance as Libya's economy developed in the last quarter of the 20th century.
Libyan Civil War
During the Libyan Civil War, forces under the leadership of the National Transitional Council captured the port of Sidra at the beginning of March 2011. Pro-Gaddafi forces tried to retake the port from the anti-Gaddafi forces some days later.
Second Libyan Civil War
During the Second Libyan Civil War, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant's Libyan branch launched an attempt to seize the port in January 2016. At least one oil storage tank was set ablaze by a long-range rocket.
Libyan militias are launching attacks to take control of the city as fight intensifies with Tripoli-based government forces. The government forces are fighting back.