Libyan naval forces captured two ships on Friday suspected of smuggling oil after gun battles lasting several hours west of the capital Tripoli.
Ayoub Qassem, a spokesman for the Libyan naval forces, said the Ukraine-flagged tanker Routa and a vessel with an unspecified African nation’s flag named Stark were captured early Friday.
“Clashes lasted for three hours, but the two tankers were successfully seized,” Qassem said.
The six-year civil war that has torn Libya apart has seen many merchant ships and seafarers in the cross hairs when passing through Libyan waters.
