On 22 September in the evening, armed clashes erupted in Sabratha’s Dahman district after an RPG strike near a house owned by a local militia leader known as al-Kabou (‘The Capo’), who has ties to militias from Zawiyya. Fighting broke out between his affiliates, including reportedly some from Zawiyya, and other local armed groups, including the al-Fathali clan. The violence escalated with heavy infantry weapons and armoured vehicles deployed. Fighting calmed down the next morning. At least two civilians were wounded, including a young girl hit by a stray bullet. Al-Kabou’s militia is allegedly involved in fuel smuggling, human trafficking, and other criminal activity.
On 23 September in the evening, clashes erupted again in Zawiyya – al-Harsha (west of the centre of the city) between the Counter Security Threats Agency and the al-Kabwat militia. Allegedly, the fighting was triggered by the arrest of several members of the al-Kabwat by the Counter Security Threats Agency.
On 24 September early in the morning, after a lull, heavy fighting resumed in al-Harsha, spreading also to the Refinery Road and the areas surrounding the refinery. Both sides used heavy infantry weapons, including several medium mortars.
A member of the Petroleum Facilities Guard (PFG) was killed while standing guard at the entrance of the Zawiyya refinery. The facilities of the refinery were not damaged.
During the fighting, a number of civilian houses were hit, including by 23 mm anti-aircraft artillery and medium mortar bombs. Several civilians were wounded. At least one child was killed. Some houses and a school were in part heavily damaged. In total, among the non-combatants, four police officers and two civilians were killed.
The Libyan Red Crescent in Zawiyya urged the residents in and around the combat to remain indoors, to avoid windows and not to go out unless absolutely necessary. A local control room of GECOL in al-Harsha was damaged in the fighting, causing a local power outage The Zawiyya Education Directorate closed schools and suspended all classes in the affected areas.
On 24 September early in the morning, the Zawiyya Oil Refining Company imposed a state of emergency at the refinery, warning that the clashes were a direct threat to this vital facility and therefore also to Libya’s national wealth. The Company urged official security forces to intervene and to separate the fighting groups, emphasizing that, ‘Protecting oil facilities is a shared national responsibility.’
Later in the morning, a conflict resolution force assembled near the Refinery Bridge on the Coastal Road. The force consisted of a couple of troops from the Zawiyya Stability Support Agency (SSA), the 103rd Infantry Battalion and the 52nd Infantry Brigade.
After the elders of Zawiyya meditated a ceasefire, the conflict resolution force moved in – allegedly on the order of West Coast Military District Commander and Libyan Army Deputy Chief of Staff (CoS) Lieutenant General Salaheddin al-Namroush – along the Refinery Road to separate the belligerent parties. Thereafter the situation remained calm.
In the afternoon, the Zawiyya Oil Refinery lifted its state of emergency following confirmation of restored safety and security around the complex. While expressing satisfaction with the intervention by security forces, the company warned against any future incidents that could endanger lives and critical infrastructure. It urged all parties to avoid conflict near vital facilities to ensure the safety of workers and residents and maintain stable operations.