Libya’s Largest Refinery Shuts Amid Tripoli Clashes

Libya’s largest operational oil refinery in Zawiya has suspended operations following heavy fighting between armed groups near the facility, raising fresh concerns over the country’s fragile security situation and the vulnerability of critical energy infrastructure.

The National Oil Corporation and the Zawiya Refining Company announced a precautionary shutdown of the refinery and evacuation of workers after explosions and gunfire were reported around the oil complex in the early hours of Friday.

In a statement posted on Facebook, the National Oil Corporation said emergency sirens were activated after armed clashes involving heavy weapons broke out near the refinery, located about 40 kilometres west of the capital, Tripoli.

According to the corporation, several projectiles landed within different sections of the oil complex, although no major structural damage had been recorded at the time of the announcement.

The statement noted that the fighting later spread to residential areas close to the refinery, significantly increasing safety risks and the possibility of further damage to installations.

“These clashes resulted in several heavy weapons projectiles landing in various locations within the oil complex,” the statement said.

“However, the clashes have intensified and reached the residential area adjacent to the refinery, making the area a direct target for heavy shelling and significantly increasing the risk of further damage.”

Despite the suspension of operations, the National Oil Corporation said fuel supply operations would continue normally and confirmed that all workers had been safely evacuated from the facility.

Authorities in Zawiya reportedly launched what they described as a large-scale security operation targeting criminal groups allegedly involved in kidnapping, arms trafficking, drug smuggling and illegal migration.

The operation triggered intense gunfire and explosions across parts of the city, according to local reports.

Videos circulating online and verified by international media organisations showed visible damage to vehicles and sections of the refinery complex, while emergency sirens could be heard after shells landed within operational zones.

The Zawiya Refining Company appealed for an immediate ceasefire and called on Libyan authorities to intervene urgently to safeguard lives and protect strategic national infrastructure.

The refinery is one of Libya’s most important energy assets, with a processing capacity of about 120,000 barrels per day. It is also linked to the Sharara oilfield, one of the country’s largest crude production hubs with a capacity of about 300,000 barrels per day.

Libya remains politically divided more than a decade after the overthrow of former leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

The country continues to face periodic violence involving armed factions aligned with rival administrations in the east and west.

The internationally recognised Government of National Unity, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, controls Tripoli and parts of western Libya, while military commander Khalifa Haftar backs a rival eastern-based administration.

Although the exact trigger of the latest clashes remains unclear, local media reports suggested the violence erupted during a security crackdown targeting armed groups operating in the area.

The incident adds to concerns over the impact of instability on Libya’s oil industry, which remains central to the country’s economy and a major source of revenue for the state.