Libya vows full support to anti-oil smuggling operations

The Libyan government has confirmed full support and necessary assistance for the anti-oil smuggling operations by sea and land until this phenomenon is eliminated, the government said in a statement on Saturday.

Two oil tankers have been seized off the Libyan city of Zwara on Friday, suspected of smuggling oil following hours of gun firing, Libyan naval spokesman said in details.

Ayoub Qassem, the spokesman of the Libyan navy, said the two vessels were seized two km off the coast of Zwara in western Libya after a gun battle that lasted for three hours.

Qassem said that one of the vessels carried Ukrainian flag named Routa, with 14 crew members and 3,330 tons of diesel on board. The other one carried the flag Congo, named Stark, with nine crew members and 1,236 tons of diesel.

The UN-backed government of national accord in Tripoli has praised the seizure of the two vessels.

"The presidential council of the government of national accord praises the operation carried out by the naval forces on Friday off the coast of Zwara," the government said in a statement on Saturday.

Smugglers take advantage of the state's chaos in Libya to smuggle oil and arms, as well as thousands of migrants.

Libya has been suffering anarchy and escalating violence since the uprising that toppled former leader Muammar Gaddafi's regime in 2011. Endit