BAGHDAD, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Iraq on Friday reopened the North Refinery unit in the country's largest refinery complex of Baiji Refinery, also known as al-Sumoud Refinery, in Salahudin province after ten years of closure.

Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani said during the inauguration ceremony that Iraq is getting closer to the target of meeting its oil derivatives needs by mid-next year, which would enable Iraq to end its imports of derivatives and save billions of dollars that would benefit Iraq in other economic aspects, according to a statement by his media office.

The North Refinery has a refining capacity of 150,000 barrels per day, which will bring the total capacity of the Baiji refining complex to 290,000 barrels per day.

Baiji Refinery complex is located near the town of Baiji, some 200 km north of Baghdad. The complex includes three refinery units: Salahudin 1, Salahudin 2, and North Refinery.

The refinery complex was destroyed after witnessing heavy fighting when IS militants seized large parts of Salahudin province in 2014. The Iraqi government forces liberated the refinery and surrounding areas in April 2015.