Egypt voices concerns over alleged Turkish ship carrying explosives

CAIRO – 14 January 2018: Ahmed Abu Zeid, spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed concerns over the alleged Turkish explosive-loaded ship that was heading to Misurata, Libya.

Greek authorities managed to seize the cargo ship before reaching its destination, according to news reports. The ship’s bill of lading indicated that the cargo had been loaded in the Turkish ports of Mersin and Iskenderun, Reuters reported.

The cargo seized included, according to Reuters, 29 containers of materials, including empty liquefied petroleum gas tanks, non-electric detonators and ammonium nitrate.

Abu Zeid said that if the news was true, it would be considered a blatant violation of the arms embargo imposed on Libya by the UNSC in accordance with Resolution 2292.

Egypt tasked its diplomatic delegations to the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), and Egypt’s permanent mission to the UN with verifying the news about the ship, according to Abu-Zeid.

Abu Zeid affirmed the necessity of immediate confrontation of such violations, as they threaten the efforts of the international community in Libya, the country’s stability and the chances for political settlement.

“The efforts of the international community cannot be completed and fruitful unless all countries take a decisive stance against draining the sources of terrorist financing, arming and harboring,” Abu Zeid stated.