Libya’s Zawiya refinery resumes full operations

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Libya’s largest functioning oil refinery has resumed full operations after fighting over the past two days forced a shutdown of the facility, according to a statement by the refinery.

Sunday’s development came after an emergency was declared after fighting erupted near the facility in Zawiya on Friday.

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The refinery about 40km (25 miles) west of Tripoli has a capacity of 120,000 barrels per day (bpd). It is connected to the 300,000-bpd Sharara oilfield.

Operator Azzawiya Oil Refining Company said in a statement on Friday that it was forced to shut the plant completely and evacuate all tankers from the port when heavy shelling struck multiple locations inside the facility.

Heavy clashes

Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) said in a statement on the same day that several high-calibre projectiles landed in various parts of the oil complex but there had been no significant damage at that time.

Fighting had intensified and spread into the residential area adjacent to the refinery, increasing risks to the facility and surrounding areas, NOC added.

NOC said fuel supplies to Tripoli and surrounding areas had not been affected.

Zawiya’s security directorate described a “security operation against outlaws”.

Libya has been plagued by unrest since the overthrow of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Zawiya has seen repeated fighting that has at times forced the closure of the coastal road to the Tunisian border.

Reports of unrest in the city circulated online, including unverified footage of gunfire echoing across Zawiya.