Armed clashes broke out Sunday in the western Libyan city of Zawiya, trapping residents in their homes and causing significant damage to the country's second-largest oil refinery, according to officials. The fighting involved gunmen loyal to the Shurafaa tribe and forces aligned with warlord Mohamed Kushlaf, who was sanctioned by the U.N. Security Council in 2018 for alleged involvement in human trafficking, local media reported. While the exact cause of the clashes remains unclear, such violence is common in western Libya, where militias and armed groups wield significant power, often operating beyond the control of Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah's government. The clashes, which erupted in densely populated areas of Zawiya, caused widespread panic among residents. "Many families are trapped in their homes. Bullets are being fired indiscriminately, hitting houses and buildings," said Ahmed Abu Hussein, a resident of Zawiya. Schools were closed, and a major coastal road linking Zawiya to other western cities was shut down. The fighting also caused severe damage to storage tanks at the Zawiya oil refinery, the Libyan National Oil Corporation (NOC) said. Bullets hit oil tanks, leading to fires and gas leaks. Firefighters managed to contain the blazes, but the NOC declared a state of emergency and invoked force majeure, citing extraordinary circumstances that prevent it from fulfilling its contractual obligations. Libya has been mired in conflict since the 2011 uprising that toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country is now divided between two rival administrations: the Dbeibah-led government in Tripoli and the eastern government headed by Prime Minister Ossama Hammad, which is allied with military commander Khalifa Hifter. Militias have exploited the chaos, growing in power and wealth, particularly in Tripoli and western regions. In August, clashes between heavily armed militias in Tripoli left at least nine dead and 16 wounded. — Agencies
