VENEZUELA REPORTS TERRORIST ATTACK ON ITS OIL REFINERY

Venezuela's Amuay oil refinery has been the target of "a terrorist attack" using a powerful weapon, President Nicolas Maduro said, Deutsche Presse-Agentur (dpa) reported. 

A blast reportedly occurred at one of the oil-rich South American nation's biggest refineries, located in northwestern Falcon state. The attack destroyed a tower at the refinery, national news agency AVN quoted Maduro as saying at a press conference. No injuries were reported. Venezuela's oil production has plunged due to US sanctions. The shortages have led to Venezuela importing fuel from Iran, a move that has increased tensions with Washington. 

Maduro said the country had fuel reserves for 20 days and that they would be extended to 30 days. "We are producing 30 per cent of the average consumption in the country ... and imports have come from different regions, not only Iran," the daily newspaper El Nacional quoted Maduro as saying. The president did not identify the weapon allegedly used against the Amuay refinery, but said the attack planned by the opposition had been backed by the US and some European countries. Two foreigners were arrested in north-western Zulia state on charges of planning to assassinate senior government officials, Maduro said. 

Earlier, US publications warned that US forces have been stationed in Colombia and Guyana while US reportedly cut a deal with Brazil to use an airbase in the Amazon region. Special operations units similar to those deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan have also been deployed to Colombia.