Libya’s largest operating oil refinery has been shut down and an emergency declared after clashes erupted near the facility in Zawiya, west of Tripoli, according to two engineers and the refinery’s operator.
The plant, located around 40 kilometres west of the capital, has a processing capacity of 120,000 barrels per day and is linked to the country’s 300,000 bpd Sharara oilfield.
The operator, Azzawiya Oil Refining Company, said it was forced to fully suspend operations and evacuate tankers from the port after heavy shelling linked to the fighting struck several areas within the complex.
The National Oil Corporation (NOC) said multiple heavy projectiles had landed across the oil installation, although no major damage had been reported at this stage. It added that the fighting had intensified and spread into nearby residential districts, increasing safety risks for both the facility and surrounding areas.
As a precaution, the refinery was shut down and all tankers withdrawn, although fuel supplies to Tripoli and nearby regions have reportedly not been disrupted.
There is no clear confirmation of who is involved in the clashes or what triggered them, although local security officials described the situation as a “security operation against outlaws”.
Libya has remained unstable since the 2011 overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi, with Zawiya frequently witnessing armed clashes that have previously disrupted key transport routes, including the coastal road to Tunisia.
Unverified reports and footage circulating online have shown gunfire in parts of the city as tensions continue.
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