Authorities in western Libya launched a large-scale security operation on Friday in the coastal city of Zawiya, a major oil hub located about 45 kilometers west of Tripoli, after heavy clashes and explosions erupted across the city in the early hours of the morning. Security forces and military units, acting under the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, carried out coordinated raids and arrests from dawn targeting what they described as criminal hideouts and wanted individuals involved in murder and attempted murder, kidnapping and extortion, drug and arms trafficking, human trafficking, and illegal migration. Zawiya, home to roughly 250,000 people, houses Libya’s largest functioning oil refinery and a major oil terminal, making it critical to the country’s energy infrastructure and export economy. The city has long been notorious for smuggling networks operating across the nearby Tunisian border and serves as a key departure point for irregular migrants attempting to cross the Mediterranean to Europe.
The fighting quickly escalated around the oil complex, with several heavy-caliber projectiles landing inside the Azzawiya Oil Refining Company facility and alarm sirens activating under the emergency plan. To safeguard workers and prevent environmental disaster, the National Oil Corporation and the refinery operator declared a state of emergency, completely shut down the 120,000-barrel-per-day refinery, and evacuated all tankers from the port. Although no significant damage was reported, clashes intensified and spread into residential areas adjacent to the refinery, turning civilian neighborhoods into direct targets of shelling and prompting emergency services to urge residents to remain indoors. The UN Support Mission in Libya condemned the use of heavy weapons and indiscriminate fire in densely populated areas, noting disturbing reports of civilian casualties and stressing that civilian infrastructure must not become a battlefield.
The Zawiya refinery is connected to the Sharara oilfield, which can produce about 300,000 barrels per day, and the complex can process an estimated $1 million worth of refined oil daily. While the NOC confirmed that fuel supplies to Tripoli and surrounding regions had not been affected, it called on all parties to cease fire immediately and keep armed conflicts away from vital facilities. Videos circulating on social media showed explosions, gunfire, and damage to vehicles and installations, though AFP could not independently verify the footage. Zawiya has experienced repeated fights between armed groups since the 2011 uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi, and the latest operation underscores the persistent instability in Libya despite recent recovery in oil production, which reached around 1.43 million barrels per day in April and May 2026. Authorities stated that the crackdown would continue until outlaw groups were cleared, highlighting how criminal networks and militia violence remain intertwined with the country’s struggle to secure its oil infrastructure and political future.
