Clashes in Libya Halt Operations at Key Oil Refinery

Overview

• Armed groups loyal to the Shurafaa tribe and warlord Mohamed Kushlaf clashed in Zawiya, a city west of Tripoli, Libya's capital.
• The fighting led to fires at the Zawiya oil refinery, Libya's second-largest, causing severe damage to storage tanks and halting operations.
• Libya's National Oil Corporation declared force majeure, suspending its contractual obligations due to the disruption in oil production.
• Residents in Zawiya remain trapped in their homes as bullets strike houses and buildings indiscriminately, with schools and a major coastal road closed due to the violence.
• Libya continues to grapple with instability, divided between rival governments in the east and west, with frequent militia violence in the western regions.