Turkey on Tuesday denounced the seizure of a commercial ship by the forces of Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar, warning of “serious consequences” if its 17 crewmen are not freed. Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) had announced late Monday that it intercepted on Sunday a ship belonging to a Turkish company and flying a Jamaican flag. The LNA, which opposes the UN-recognised government in Tripoli backed by Ankara, said the ship named Mabrooka had entered a “zone of military operations” in the area of Ras Al-Hilal. The ship — with a crew of nine Turks, seven Indians and one Azerbaijani — was towed to a port and an investigation begun, it said. Ankara says the ship was carrying humanitarian aid and was intercepted by speedboats.
The Turkish foreign ministry “strongly condemned” the action, saying in a statement: “The ship should be allowed to continue its voyage without delay.” It added: “We recall yet again that Turkish interests in Libya are targeted. There will be serious consequences, and the perpetrators will be considered legitimate targets.”
Libya has been wracked by violence and chaos since the toppling and killing of dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. While the GNA is backed by Turkey, Haftar’s camp enjoys the support of the United Arab Emirates, Russia and Egypt. The two sides formally agreed a ceasefire in October.
