Armed clashes in western Libya force temporary shutdown of major oil refinery

Armed clashes erupted on Sunday in Zawiya, located approximately 25 miles west of Tripoli, forcing the temporary closure of one of Libya’s key oil refineries and leaving residents in fear, according to multiple reports.

“Many families are trapped in their homes. Bullets are being fired indiscriminately, hitting houses and buildings,” resident Ahmed Abu Hussein told the Associated Press by phone.

Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) reported that gunfire struck storage units at the Zawiya refinery, sparking fires across several reservoirs. The NOC declared force majeure and suspended operations temporarily as a precaution, Bloomberg reports.

By the end of the day, a spokesperson confirmed the fires had been extinguished, and the remaining oil had been transferred to alternate reservoirs, Reuters noted.

The violence reportedly resulted in one death and several injuries before calm was restored. While the NOC did not specify who was responsible, local reports indicated the clashes were tribal in nature and not linked to Libya’s two rival governments—one headquartered in Tripoli and the other in Benghazi.

Western Libya, where the refinery is situated, remains under the control of various militias and armed groups aligned with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah’s administration. It is not uncommon for them to clash.

Libya has endured years of turmoil since the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, with its vast oil infrastructure frequently targeted by factions competing for power and influence.