On Thursday, the official Spokesman for the Libyan National Army (LNA) Major General Ahmed Al-Mismari announced the release of a Turkish ship, after the shipowners paid a fine for sailing in a restricted area.
On Monday, LNA forces intercepted the Turkish ship, which was flying a Jamaican flag and heading to the port of Misrata in western Libya.
The vessel, ‘Mabrouka’, had 17 crew members including nine Turkish nationals, and also carried containers that had not yet been inspected. LNA naval forces stopped it near the eastern port of Derna.
The spokesman expressed his grave concerns over Turkey’s continued transfer of military equipment, mercenaries, and terrorists from other countries to Libya. He alleged that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not want peace in Libya and sought to void the ceasefire in the country.
This is the second Turkish-owned vessel seized by LNA forces this year, according to Ambrey Intelligence, a British private maritime intelligence firm. In 2019, the LNA seized at least six ships.
The Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) and the LNA signed a ceasefire agreement in October, under the auspices of the United Nations. The two sides have agreed to hold national elections in December 2021.
