The arrest by the US marines of the North Korean oil tanker that illegally loaded Libyan oil from the port of Al-Sidera in the east of the country under the control of the independent armed groups, has been welcomed by Libyans.
The North Korean oil tanker succeeded in escaping last week from the Libyan navy after it illegally loaded Libyan oil.
Armed groups claiming to belong to the province of Berga, called the autonomous Cyrenaica, which is not recognized by the government, have since July last year controlled three oil terminals – Al-Sidera, Zueitina and Ras Lanouf – with a capacity of 600,000 barrels per day. They managed to load crude oil onto the North Korean oil tanker, Morning Glory.
The case pushed the Libyan National General Congress (NGC) to oust Prime minister, Ali Zeidan, in a vote of no confidence.
US Navy Seals boarded the ship in international waters in a move that will see the oil returned to Libya.
In a statement issued in Washington on Monday, the Pentagon said: “On the request of Libya and Cyprus, the US marine forces boarded the “Morning Glory.'”
