The grain-laden Syrian-flagged ship Laodicea, which arrived in Tripoli, Lebanon, on Wednesday. The Ukrainian Embassy claims the grain was stolen by Russia from areas occupied by its forces. (Credit: AFP)
BEIRUT — The head of Tripoli’s port lifted Wednesday the second seizure order on a Syrian-flagged ship the Ukrainian government has accused of carrying stolen flour and barley, allowing it to set sail, caretaker Minister of Public Works Ali Hamieh announced in a tweet.
Here’s what we know:
• Hamieh said that the Syrian ship “Laodicea,” which had set sail “from Russia passing through Lebanon to Syria” is now allowed to leave, according to an order that came from the head of Tripoli’s port, “in accordance with the Lebanese legal principles, based on our sovereignty over our land, sea and sky.”
• Lebanon’s top prosecutor Ghassan Oueidat had lifted a first seizure order on the ship after finding no criminal offense committed.
• According to Reuters, Ukraine asked Oueidat earlier Wednesday to reopen a probe into the ship that docked in Lebanon. Moscow has previously denied stealing grain. Russia's Embassy in Lebanon said it had no information on the cargo.
A "Permit of Travel" which allowed the Syrian-flagged ship, Laodicea, to continue its route to Syria, despite two seizure requests by Ukraine, which said the ship includes materials stolen from Ukraine by Russia. (Courtesy of tweet by Ali Hamieh)