Benghazi Insurgents Seize Ship with Turkish Crew

Members of the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA) have taken control of a Grenada-flagged ship with Turkish crewmembers aboard. The LNA, an insurgency group, is seeking to seize control of Libya from the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), which has been backed by the United Nations since the demise of dictator Muammar Gaddafi left the country torn between warring factions, including the Benghazi-based LNA, led by renegade general Khalifa Haftar. Several weeks ago, Ankara signed a maritime agreement with the GNA in which the Tripoli-based leadership pledged to help Turkey search for energy deposits in contested eastern Mediterranean waters. In return, Ankara expressed willingness to commit forces to Libya, mostly in a training capacity, to assist the GNA in its ongoing fight with the LNA. There is no word as to the insurgents’ interest in the Granada flagged vessel other than speculation about its Turkish crew members.