French fighter jets from the aircraft carrier spotted a delivery while on a reconnaissance mission, French newspaper Le Monde reported. Pinto told the AP the Bana's transponders were turned off after it left the Turkish port and crossed the water to Libya. Rival forces control different parts of Libya. Both of the rival Libyan governments have enjoyed diplomatic and other forms of support from a host of countries. France, for example, a rival of Italy's in pursuing energy interests in oil-and-natural-gas rich Libya, sided with Hifter for a long time.

Source: International New York Times February 19, 2020 22:18 UTC