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World
Libya's biggest operational oil refinery was shut down and evacuated after clashes erupted near the city of Zawiya, west of Tripoli.
Clashes near the city of Zawiya, roughly 40 kilometers (25 miles) west of Tripoli, forced the complete shutdown of Libya's largest operational oil refinery on Friday, according to two engineers and the facility's operator. A state of emergency was declared at the site. The refinery, which has a daily production capacity of 120,000 barrels, is linked to the 300,000-barrel-per-day El Sharara oil field.
The Zawiya Oil Refining Company, which operates the plant, issued a statement saying heavy shelling linked to the fighting struck multiple locations within the facility, compelling a full closure and the evacuation of all oil tankers from the port. Libya's National Oil Corporation (NOC) reported that several heavy projectiles landed in various parts of the oil complex, though no major damage has been recorded so far.
The NOC added that the clashes intensified and spread into the residential area adjacent to the refinery, heightening the risks to both the facility and its surroundings. As a precautionary measure, the corporation confirmed the refinery's closure and the removal of all tankers from the port, but stated that fuel supplies to Tripoli and surrounding areas have not been affected.
No immediate information was available on who was involved in the violence or its causes. The city's security directorate described the event as a "security operation against outlaws."
