Libyan government warplanes attack ship near Sirte

“Our jets warned an unflagged ship off Sirte city, but it ignored the warning,” Saqer al-Joroushi told Reuters. “We gave it a chance to evaluate the situation, then our fighting jets attacked the ship because it was unloading fighters and weapons,” he added.

“The ship now is on fire. We are in war and we do not accept any security breaches, whether by land, air or sea,” Jourushi added.

An oil industry official said the ship was actually a tanker which had been carrying 25 000 tons of gasoil. He named the tanker as Anwar Afriqya.

Rida Essa, commander of coastal guards in central Libya, said the tanker had been unloading gasoil for Sirte’s power plant when it came under attack. The ship was still on fire, he said.

He said a crew member and a port worker had been wounded.

Libya’s is still in the midst of a power struggle between two governments fighting for control, with the internationally recognised government operating out of the east since losing control of the capital in August to the rival grouping.

Sirte’s power plant on the western outskirts of the city is controlled by forces loyal to the Tripoli government.

The rest of the city has fallen into the hands of Islamic State militants which have exploited the chaos and security vacuum in Libya four years after the ousting of Muammar Gaddafi.