Libya's power cut protests halt production at the El Feel oilfield

Widespread power cuts in Libya, coinciding with a heatwave in which temperatures exceeded 48 degrees Celsius, have triggered a new wave of protests and civil disobedience in Tripoli and surrounding areas, according to a report published on Saturday 1 August 2026. Predominantly young protesters, frustrated by outages lasting around 10 hours a day, have shut down major roads and blockaded public buildings.

The crisis escalated when a group of protesters stormed the Mellitah oil and gas complex on Tuesday, forcing the National Oil Corporation to halt operations at the El Feel oilfield and partially suspend the Wafa field. The disruption severely constrained the gas supplies needed for power generation and knocked out multiple electricity generation units. The Government of National Unity later secured the complex and resumed gas pumping.

Libya has been politically fragmented since 2014 and, despite a 2020 ceasefire, the internationally recognised Government of National Unity in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east of the country remain opposed. Disruption to Libyan output matters for the oil market, because any loss of supply in current global conditions feeds through to prices.