Zawiya refinery halts operations after armed clashes hit complex
Updated
Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 8
Zawiya refinery halts operations after armed clashes hit complex
16 articles · Updated · Al Jazeera English · May 8
The 120,000-barrel-a-day plant, 40km west of Tripoli, evacuated staff and declared an emergency after heavy-weapons projectiles landed inside the site and nearby port.
The National Oil Corporation said all employees were safe and fuel supplies would continue, while local authorities said a large-scale operation was targeting criminal groups linked to murder, trafficking and extortion.
Verified footage showed explosions, gunfire and damage inside the facility, which is linked to the 300,000-bpd Sharara field, underscoring Libya's persistent instability since Gaddafi's 2011 overthrow.
With Libyan oil output at a 10-year high, why did its largest functioning refinery suddenly collapse into violence?
Is Libya's refinery shutdown retaliation for canceling a multi-billion dollar oil deal linked to a rival faction?