Turkey condemned on Tuesday the interception of one of its ships by eastern-based Haftar’s militias in the Mediterranean, saying it must be allowed to resume its journey to western Libya and warned of possible reprisals.
“Targeting Turkish interests in Libya will have grave consequences, and these elements [who target Turkish interests] will be viewed as legitimate targets,” the Turkish foreign ministry said in a statement.
The ship was carrying medicines to Misrata when Haftar’s militias stopped it and the crew members (Turkish, Indian and Azerbaijani nationals) were placed under investigation.
Forces loyal to eastern Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar intercepted a Turkish ship off the North African country’s coast and towed it to the port of Ras al-Hilal, east of Benghazi, the spokesman for Haftar’s militias Ahmed Al-Mismari said on Monday.
Al-Mismari said the vessel was sailing under a Jamaican flag and heading to the western city of Misrata – hundreds of miles from where it was captured.
