07 Dec 2020 | 10:10 PM UTC
Libya: Libyan National Army (LNA) intercepts Turkish ship near Misrata, Dec. 7
Libyan National Army intercepts a Jamaican-flagged Turkish ship near the port of Misrata, Dec. 7. Increased security likely.
Event
The Libyan National Army (LNA) announced the interception of the Mabrouka, a Jamaican-flagged Turkish commercial cargo ship, en route to the port of Misrata on Dec. 7. Turkey is a supporter of the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), the rival government to the LNA. The vessel reportedly entered Libyan territorial waters off of the coast of Ra's Al Hilal. Turkish officials have yet to comment on the incident.
The incident comes against the background of ongoing peace negotiations between GNA and LNA representatives to find a political solution to the country's conflict. Heightened security and localized transport and business disruptions are possible in the affected area.
Context
The latest incident transpires amid ongoing peace negotiations among Libya's rival factions. Seventy-five delegates from Libya's rival political factions are participating in the ongoing peace negotiations, which are officially called the Libya Political Dialogue Forum. The UN Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) has been sponsoring the talks and aims to bring about a consensus on a unified governance framework, which can pave the way for national elections in December 2021.
A series of agreements between the UN-recognized GNA and the LNA, including a permanent ceasefire, was reached in Geneva, Switzerland in October. The warring factions have since held talks in Tunis, Tunisia, Tangier, Morocco, and Libya in an effort to reach a permanent political solution to the country's fighting.
However, any peace deal will be tenuous in part because of the number of foreign countries that support competing factions in Libya. Despite the recent agreements, weapons continue to pour into Libya. While Egypt, France, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia back the LNA, Turkey, Italy, and Qatar provide support to the GNA. These countries' pursuit of divergent interests in Libya profoundly complicates efforts to arrive at a meaningful political settlement.
