Reuters reported that protests at western Libya's main oil refinery closed operations for a second time this month raising concerns of a gaoline shortage in the capital.

Mr Essam al Muntasir of the Zawiya Oil Refining Company said that many wounded veterans of the civil war which ousted Muammar Gaddafi last year were demonstrating in front of the plant.

He said that "We are in a state of total shut down at the refinery. The demonstrators are preventing employees from entering the refinery and fuel trucks are unable to leave the refinery."

Mr Omar Shakmak deputy oil minister of Libya said that a shut down at the refinery could cause a new shortage. We have enough fuel stored in Tripoli to last us 25 days but the problem is that protesters are not allowing trucks in or out of the fuel storage areas of the refinery which could cause a shortage."