Libya conducts airstrikes on smuggling hubs in Zawiya

Libya’s UN-recognized Government of National Unity (GNU) launched airstrikes on Monday targeting drug trafficking and fuel smuggling hubs in Zawiya, a city on the Mediterranean coast about 40 kilometers west of Tripoli.

The military operation, aimed at curbing organized crime, destroyed fuel trafficking sites in the semi-rural area of Asban, according to an official statement.

Authorities called on residents to avoid areas identified as “strongholds for trafficking and crime.” However, details about casualties remain unclear.

This operation follows a history of anti-smuggling efforts, including drone strikes in May 2023 that killed at least two people and injured several others. These actions were prompted by clashes among armed groups involved in human trafficking and smuggling activities.

Libya has faced ongoing instability since the 2011 NATO-backed uprising that ousted Muammar Qaddafi. The resulting power vacuum has enabled armed groups to fund their operations through illicit activities such as fuel smuggling and migrant trafficking.

Zawiya, home to Libya’s second-largest oil refinery, serves as a hub for smuggling fuel into neighboring Tunisia. Recent footage shared on the Libyan Army’s Facebook page depicted tanks, military trucks, and armed vehicles advancing through the city, alongside a military truck ramming into a small dwelling.

The airstrikes have further highlighted Libya’s divided political landscape, with the eastern-based parliament accusing the GNU of targeting opponents, including the home of a lawmaker.

The nation remains split between the Tripoli-based GNU and the rival administration in the east, led by Khalifa Haftar.