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Tanker taken from militia by US Navy back in Libya

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AP Tripoli
A North Korean-flagged oil tanker illegally loaded by a militia with Libyan oil and retaken by US Navy SEALs has arrived off the coast of Tripoli.

Libya's official news agency says the tanker Morning Glory will sail later today to the port of Zawiya, near the Libyan capital, where it will offload its cargo.

American commandos seized the ship last week off the Mediterranean island of Cyprus, stopping an attempt by a militia from eastern Libya to use it to sell crude in defiance of the Tripoli government.

Yesterday, the US Navy handed over control of the tanker to Libyan forces while in international waters.
 

The tanker's return is likely to bolster the authority of the government in the face of the growing power of the country's militias.

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First Published: Mar 23 2014 | 4:55 PM IST

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