Libyan National Army bombs tanker off Benghazi coast
The Libyan National Army (LNA) has bombed a tanker it says was attempting to make a delivery of petrol to Ansar Al-Sharia .Spokesman for the LNA Chief of Staff Mohamed Hejazi confirmed that the LNA had carried out the attack on the vessel on Tuesday. He told the Libya Herald that the tanker had been attempting to make a delivery of petrol to Ansar Al-Sharia and associated forces.
These opposition forces are reportedly running low on fuel, and restrictions imposed on the purchase of petrol in Benghazi have added further pressure. One local resident said that, for some time, petrol stations had not been allowed to sell fuel in canisters, in case these made their way into the hands of Ansar Al-Sharia.No further details were available regarding the origin of the ship, how seriously it was damaged, or whether any crew were injured.Local residents reported seeing plumes of smoke rising from the coast in the area of the seaport. Ansar Al-Sharia retain a presence in Benghazi’s sprawling port, which is not completely under the control of either side.