Libya's Largest Oil Refinery Halts Operations Amid Fresh Fighting
Libya's largest oil refinery, in Zawiya, has halted operations after fresh armed clashes in the city. The shutdown threatens new domestic fuel shortages in a country still rebuilding its hydrocarbon sector. Oil traders are watching closely amid wider Mediterranean supply jitters.
The state-run Zawiya Oil Refining Company said the plant had been shut down on safety grounds. With a capacity of about 120,000 barrels per day, the facility supplies a large share of Libya's domestic fuel needs.
Clashes between rival armed factions in Zawiya, just 50 kilometres west of the capital Tripoli, have intensified over recent weeks. The UN Support Mission in Libya called for an immediate ceasefire and demanded that civilian infrastructure be spared.
Libya's oil sector is at one of its most fragile points since the post-2011 conflicts began. Mediterranean oil markets, already on edge over Middle East tensions, are sensitive to any further supply shocks; Brent futures ticked higher in the session after the news.
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