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U.S. forces seize tanker carrying oil from Libya rebel port

18 March 2014 02:41 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. U.S. special forces have seized a commercial tanker that fled with a cargo of oil from a Libyan port controlled by anti-government rebels, halting their attempt to sell petroleum on the global market, APA reports quoting Reuters.

Libyan federalist gunmen demanding regional autonomy and a share of oil wealth managed to load crude onto the ship, which escaped Libya's navy, embarrassing Tripoli's government and prompting parliament to sack the prime minister.

U.S. Navy commandos stormed the Morning Glory tanker as it sat in international waters off Cyprus on Sunday night and took control of the vessel, which the Pentagon said had been held by three armed Libyans.

The standoff over control of OPEC member Libya's oil illustrates how fragile the North African nation's stability remains since the NATO-backed civil war that led to the fall of Muammar Gaddafi nearly three years ago.

With its army still nascent, a weak government has been unable to impose its will on former anti-Gaddafi fighters and militias who now use their military muscle to make demands on the state, often by targeting the vital oil sector.

At least in the short term, the tanker's seizure by U.S. forces is likely to prevent any more attempted oil sales by the rebels, who in August took control of three export terminals accounting previously for 700,000 barrels a day of exports.

"Oil is the economy's artery. The government will not allow anyone to fool around with the assets and resources of the Libyan people," the Libyan government said in a statement.

No one was hurt in the tanker raid, which was approved by U.S. President Barack Obama and requested by the Libyan and Cypriot governments, Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby said.

"The Morning Glory is carrying a cargo of oil owned by the Libyan government National Oil Company. The ship and its cargo were illicitly obtained" from the Libyan port of Es Sider, his statement said.