- Title: LIBYA: Libyan navy official details recovery of oil tanker by U.S. forces
- Date: 23rd March 2014
- Summary: TRIPOLI, LIBYA (MARCH 23, 2014) (REUTERS) NAVAL OFFICERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE AND JOURNALIST HOLDING MICROPHONE NAVAL EMBLEM (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SPOKESMAN FOR LIBYAN NAVY, COLONEL AYUB GASEM, SAYING: "An international call for help was sent and it (the tanker) was attacked just past the national waters, in international waters, and that's where U.S. forces intervened, fearful the tanker would be destroyed." MILITARY OFFICIAL LISTENING TO NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) SPOKESMAN FOR LIBYAN NAVY, COLONEL AYUB GASEM, SAYING: "U.S. special forces stormed the tanker and the Libyan navy, acting on instructions from the chief of staff, gave orders to co-ordinate with the American navy to hand over the tanker." JOURNALIST HOLDING MICROPHONE AND LISTENING TO NEWS CONFERENCE NAVAL OFFICERS AT NEWS CONFERENCE / JOURNALIST HOLDING MICROPHONE
- Embargoed: 7th April 2014 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Libya
- Country: Libya
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVADH2Q6CBORSIREJX2TXBC5ZGVG
- Story Text: A spokesperson for the Libyan navy detailed on Sunday (March 23) the recovery of a commercial oil tanker in international waters by U.S. forces.
Colonel Ayub Gasem told reporters how U.S. forces answered an international call for help.
"An international call for help was sent and it (the tanker) was attacked just past the national waters, in international waters, and that's where U.S. forces intervened, fearful the tanker would be destroyed," he said.
The tanker was seized by U.S. forces after it loaded crude at a Libya port held by anti-government rebels and docked back in the capital Tripoli on Sunday, a witness told Reuters.
U.S. special forces boarded the tanker a week ago off Cyprus, days after it left Es Sider port, which is controlled by rebels who demand more autonomy and oil wealth in defiance of the central government.
"U.S. special forces stormed the tanker and the Libyan navy, acting on instructions from the chief of staff gave orders to co-ordinate with the American navy to hand over the tanker," Colonel Ayub Gasem said.
A Reuters reporter was allowed to board the Morning Glory moored near the Tripoli coast, witnessing how Libyan navy forces arrested the 21-strong crew and three rebels who had boarded the ship at Es Sider.
It was a rare victory for Tripoli, which is struggling to end a port blockade by rebels, one of many challenges facing the central government which has failed to secure the North African country three years after the fall of Muammar Gaddafi.
Former anti-Gaddafi rebels and militias refuse to surrender their weapons and often use force or control of oil facilities to make demands on a state whose army is still in training with Western governments. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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