Clashes in the Libyan coastal city of Zawiya have escalated sharply, with reports indicating that fighting between rival armed groups has spread from residential areas to offshore waters.

Axar.az reports, citing Asharq Al-Awsat, local media footage showed armed confrontations near the coast and around the Zawiya oil refinery port, involving factions linked to rival security formations operating in the city.

No official casualty figures have been released, and authorities have not provided a clear explanation of the fighting.

Zawiya, a strategically important city west of Tripoli, hosts one of Libya’s largest oil refineries and serves as a key hub for fuel smuggling and irregular migration routes across the Mediterranean.

Community groups have urged the formation of unified state security forces to restore order, while political actors have warned that continued violence risks further destabilising the region.