European Union maritime force implementing the UN arms embargo on Libya announced Thursday, September 10, it intercepted and redirected an oil tanker headed for Benghazi after determining it was carrying jet fuel in possible violation of the ban.

The MV Royal Diamond 7 was en route from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates, to Benghazi, Libya, when members of the EU force’s Operation Irini boarded the ship 150 kilometers north of the Libyan city of Derna, the EU patrol informed.

This week, UN experts accused the parties in Libyan conflict and their international allies — including the UAE, Russia and Jordan on one side, and Turkey and Qatar on the other — of sending weapons and mercenaries to Libya in violation of the “totally ineffective” UN embargo.

A statement from the EU mission said its inspection aboard the Marshall Islands-flagged MV Royal Diamond 7 determined the cargo was jet fuel, which it said was “likely” to be used for military purposes.

The mission noted that jet fuel is considered military material by the U.N., which has authorised the EU military to seize weapons and halt weapons-transporting vessels bound for Libya.

The EU patrol mission has underlined it was redirecting the tanker to a European port for further investigation.

Libya was plunged into chaos when a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 has overthrown longtime dictator Colonel Gadhafi, who was later assassinated. The collapse of the state structures followed, and the rivalry for power began between different groups, splitting Libya between east, with the centre in Benghazi where Tobrouk parliament supported by Libyan National Army has it seat, and Tripoli administration, recognised by the UN, and the EU.

A boarding team board the Merchant Vessel Royal Diamond 7, in international waters, 150 kilometers north of the Libyan city of Derna, Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020. The European Union maritime force on errand for the supervision of the UN arms embargo on Libya reported that they had re-directed the tanker headed for Libya after determining it contained jet fuel in possible violation of the embargo. The MV Royal Diamond 7 was en route early Thursday from Sharjah, United Arab Emirates to Benghazi, Libya when members of the EU force Operation IRINI boarded the ship.