Libya’s National Oil Corporation (NOC) has warned that armed clashes around the Al-Zawiya oil complex have sharply increased the level of danger near one of the country’s most sensitive energy sites.
In a statement issued on Friday, the NOC reassured citizens that all workers at the oil facilities and students at the Oil Institute in Al-Zawiya were safe. The corporation said all employees, staff members and students had been evacuated, except for firefighting and emergency control teams.
The NOC said warning sirens were activated under the emergency plan after heavy armed clashes erupted near the oil complex in the early hours of Friday, 8 May 2026.
According to the statement, several heavy shells landed in different parts of the oil complex. The NOC said no significant damage had been recorded by the time the statement was released.
However, the corporation warned that the fighting had intensified and spread into the residential area next to the refinery. It said this made the zone a direct target for falling heavy shells, increasing the danger in an alarming way.
The NOC said specialist teams from Al-Zawiya, Brega and Akakus oil companies responded with extreme caution and precision. It added that all approved safety procedures had been taken to protect lives first and reduce the risk of environmental disasters.
As part of the emergency measures, Al-Zawiya oil port was cleared of all tankers, while the refinery was shut down as a precaution.
The corporation stressed that fuel supplies were continuing normally and that distribution to Tripoli and surrounding areas had not been affected by any shortages.
The NOC added that its emergency committee had taken precautionary measures and made coordination arrangements in case the situation worsens. It said any possible shortage in fuel stocks could be covered from storage tanks in Misrata.
The corporation said all emergency teams were ready to operate at different sites to prevent any disruption in fuel supply operations.
The emergency committee, chaired by NOC Chairman Masoud Suleman, is monitoring developments and remains in continuous contact with the Council of Ministers of the Government of National Unity to provide updates and implement instructions.
