The Financial Times said the United Arab Emirates-based companies shipped nearly 11,000 tonnes of jet fuel to eastern Libya, the stronghold of Khalifa Haftar’s militias in a suspected violation of the Security Council’s arms embargo in Libya.
The newspaper said the shipment of the UAE is under investigation by a UN panel of experts, adding that it had a market value of nearly $5m at the time it was loaded in the UAE and was delivered last month to the city of Benghazi.
Stephanie Williams, the acting UN envoy to Libya, told the newspaper that in the UN’s judgment, the jet fuel was considered to be “combat supplies” and the shipment to eastern Libya could constitute a violation of the embargo.
Financial Times documents state the supplier of the fuel was Afrifin Logistics FZE, based in Sharjah, one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE.
“It was loaded on to MT Gulf Petroleum 4, a Liberian-flagged tanker operated by Gulf Shipping Services FZC, the documents show.” The documents show.
UN officials confirmed the companies involved are registered in the UAE and the fuel was supplied in UAE territory but declined to confirm the names of the firms.
“The jet fuel was offloaded in Benghazi on March 16 as Gen Haftar’s forces increased air strikes and missile attacks on Tripoli.” The Financial Times added.
The documents also show the fuel was ordered by a company called Libyan Express Airlines, which is a private airline that operates in west Libya, including air ambulances. It said it had no operations in Benghazi and was not involved in the fuel shipment.
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