Libya’s National Oil Corporation Suspends Zawiya Refinery Operations After Clashes Near Tripoli

Libya’s National Oil Corporation suspended operations at the Zawiya refinery after violent clashes erupted near the facility west of Tripoli, and the refinery shut down on May 8, 2026.

Business Insider Africa said the shutdown followed emergency safety measures after military projectiles struck parts of the complex and that the operator, Azzawiya Oil Refining Company, evacuated all tankers from the port.

Africa For Press

Reuters quoted by Business Insider Africa reported that officials confirmed the facility had not suffered significant damage as of May 8, and that fuel supply to Tripoli and surrounding areas remained unaffected.

Euronews described the clashes as rival gangs fighting in Zawiya over trafficking of fuel and commercial goods into neighbouring Tunisia, with fighting spreading to residential neighbourhoods and areas adjacent to the refinery.

Euronews also reported that the National Oil Corporation and the Zawiya Oil Refining Company halted operations as a precaution after shells landed in operational areas of the oil complex, clearing the port of tankers to protect lives and infrastructure.

In Zawiya, security forces announced a large-scale security operation after fierce armed clashes erupted across the city, with particular focus on the area around the Zawiya oil complex and refinery.

Euronews reported that the Zawiya Security Directorate and the Joint Security Room said the operation was launched on the basis of warrants issued by the competent prosecutor’s office, covering raids, arrests and searches.

Al Jazeera

Arab News said the operation targeted “criminal hideouts and wanted individuals” involved in “murder and attempted murder, kidnapping and extortion, drug, arms and human trafficking, and illegal migration.”

Arab News also reported that a Zawiya resident told AFP that “the first clashes began in the early hours of Friday,” adding that they heard “explosions across the city.”

Both outlets tied the refinery shutdown to shelling linked to the clashes, with Arab News saying heavy-caliber projectiles landed in various parts of the oil complex but that there had been no significant damage so far.

After the two-day halt, multiple outlets reported that operations resumed at the Zawiya refinery, with Anadolu Ajansı saying the Libyan Brega Oil Marketing Company resumed operational activities at its storage facility on the morning of Saturday, May 9, 2026.

“Libya’s largest functioning oil refinery has resumed full operations after fighting over the past two days forced a shutdown of the facility, according to a statement by the refinery”

Al Jazeera

Anadolu Ajansı reported that Brega said the clashes “resulted in the fall of several heavy-weapon projectiles in various locations within the oil complex,” and it said the company announced a large spill of aviation kerosene caused by a tank being struck by two shells.

Jafra News said the Zawiya Refining Company told Reuters that the situation “necessitated taking urgent emergency measures to shut down the refinery completely and evacuate the port of tankers” to protect lives and facilities and safeguard the surrounding environment.

Reuters-linked reporting in Jafra News also said it remained unclear who was involved in the violence or its cause, while the Zawiya Security Directorate announced a wide security operation targeting criminals’ dens and wanted persons.

The stakes described across the coverage included continuity of fuel flows and protection of infrastructure, with Business Insider Africa stating that fuel supply to Tripoli and surrounding areas remained unaffected despite the shutdown and with Anadolu Ajansı saying Brega’s resumption was to supply distribution companies and meet the local market’s needs.