Clashes in Zawiya Damage Major Oil Refinery

Violent clashes erupted in the Libyan city of Zawiya on Sunday between rival militias, notably fighters from the Shurafaa tribe and forces loyal to warlord Mohamed Kushlaf, who is under UN sanctions for human trafficking. The conflict forced residents into lockdown and caused significant damage to the Zawiya oil refinery, Libya's second-largest, triggering fires and gas leaks that prompted the Libyan National Oil Corporation to declare a state of emergency. The violence, which led to the closure of schools and key coastal roads, reflects the ongoing instability in western Libya, a region dominated by militias following the 2011 civil war that ousted Moammar Gadhafi. Local accounts describe widespread panic among civilians as gunfire spread through densely populated areas. The clashes are part of a larger pattern of violence that continues to undermine efforts for political stability in the divided country, where rival administrations control the east and west. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya has been attempting to stabilize the region through various initiatives amidst this chaos.