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Greek oil tanker bombed in Libyan port of Derna | Greek oil tanker bombed in Libyan port of Derna |
(about 5 hours later) | |
Libyan air force jets have bombed a Greek-operated oil tanker chartered by Libya's national oil company, killing two crew members. | |
A Libyan military spokesman told the BBC that the ship's movements at the port of Derna had aroused suspicion. | |
The oil company rejected this, saying the ship was delivering fuel to industrial facilities there and the authorities had been kept informed. | |
Derna has been controlled by Islamist militants for the past two years. | Derna has been controlled by Islamist militants for the past two years. |
The Libyan military attacked the port several times last year in an attempt to weaken militant groups there. | The Libyan military attacked the port several times last year in an attempt to weaken militant groups there. |
The military spokesman, Colonel Ahmed Mesmari, said the tanker had been targeted because it had failed to submit to an inspection before entering the port. | The military spokesman, Colonel Ahmed Mesmari, said the tanker had been targeted because it had failed to submit to an inspection before entering the port. |
He said the vessel was supposed to dock at a power plant in Derna but instead "took a different route", entering a "military zone". | He said the vessel was supposed to dock at a power plant in Derna but instead "took a different route", entering a "military zone". |
"We asked the ship to stop, but instead it turned off all its lights and would not respond so we were obliged to strike it. | "We asked the ship to stop, but instead it turned off all its lights and would not respond so we were obliged to strike it. |
"We bombed it twice," he said. | "We bombed it twice," he said. |
No leakage | No leakage |
Libya's National Oil Corporation said the tanker had picked up 13,000 tonnes of heavy fuel oil in Brega, a port south of Libya's second city, Benghazi, which it was due to deliver to a power plant and water purification facility in Derna. | |
It said the vessel was attacked before it could enter the port to unload its cargo. | |
There were 26 crew members on board the ship, Araevo, including nationals from the Philippines, Greece and Romania. | There were 26 crew members on board the ship, Araevo, including nationals from the Philippines, Greece and Romania. |
Two were injured in Sunday's attack, in addition to those killed. | |
The Liberian-flagged tanker is operated by an Athens-based shipping company, Aegean Shipping Enterprises Company. | |
The company said there was no leakage of oil and it was assessing the damage. | |
Col Mesmari told Reuters the vessel had been bringing Islamist fighters to Derna. | |
"We had warned any ship not to dock at the port without prior permission," he was quoted as saying. | "We had warned any ship not to dock at the port without prior permission," he was quoted as saying. |
The National Oil Corporation did not comment on the allegation but said the bombing of the tanker would have a "very negative" impact on oil shipping from Libyan ports. | |
It said it remained neutral in the conflict in Libya and the incident would hinder its ability to maintain supplies within the local market. | |
Expelled | Expelled |
Libya has been in chaos since its long-time leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, was overthrown with Western military help in 2011. | Libya has been in chaos since its long-time leader, Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, was overthrown with Western military help in 2011. |
Numerous militias govern their own patches of territory, with successive governments struggling to exercise control. | Numerous militias govern their own patches of territory, with successive governments struggling to exercise control. |
The competition for power and resources has led to frequent fighting and battles to control facilities, including ports, linked to Libya's oil industry. | The competition for power and resources has led to frequent fighting and battles to control facilities, including ports, linked to Libya's oil industry. |
The internationally recognised government is based in Tobruk, near the Egyptian border, having been expelled from the capital, Tripoli, by militias in 2014. | The internationally recognised government is based in Tobruk, near the Egyptian border, having been expelled from the capital, Tripoli, by militias in 2014. |
A rival militia-backed administration now controls the capital while Benghazi is largely in the hands of Islamist fighters. |