Maritime Risk Intelligence Blog

Airstrikes at Libyan Port

Written by Dryad Global | May 28, 2023 at 10:51 PM

Open-Source reporting indicates that airstrikes have been conducted throughout al Zawiya and at the fishing port of al-Maya port 30km east of al Zawiya. Details regarding the incident remain unclear although reports indicate that three personnel have been killed. Early reports indicate that Turkish made drones were used in the attack, believed to have been conducted by Libyan Army forces loyal to GNU. 

Within recent weeks Eastern Libya has seen an increase in sectarian violence as a result of as a result of inter-militia clashes as well as clashes with state security forces. This has resulted in a series of airstrikes throughout the al Zawiya region across the past three days. Early indications suggest that the strikes are targeting illicit fuel smuggling networks which are believed to operate along the coast. 

Footage believed to be of the incident appears to indicate a vessel was struck whilst alongside at the al-Maya port 30km east of al Zawiya. Whilst details remain unclear, the risk level for commercial vessels calling at al Zawiya is assessed to be critical in the short term however an attack on either of the main Libyan Ports by forces loyal to the interim Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh is not assessed at this time to be in any way beneficial to the wider strategic aims of power consolidation and uprooting problematic non-state actors.