By this time, however, the USSR itself had gained non-permanent access to Libyan ports and airfields in return for the provision of arms.

According to various accounts, the two girls arrived by boat today in the Libyan port of Benghazi.

As we left the Libyan port of Derna we had a police escort for the journey to Cyrene.

The second-best piece of evidence we have," Price interjected, "is that this ship just came out of a long overhaul in a Libyan port.

"And that means that they'll have to bring that sub into a Libyan port to off-load the pirated cargo and resupply her next time."

The battered Libyan port is coming back to life as a vibrant trading centre with an eye for a deal.

Nordana also serves the Libyan ports of Benghazi, Marsa El Brega, and Tripoli.

One Israeli official said the Libyan ship had been tracked since it left the Libyan port, Benghazi, three days ago, but other military officials would not confirm the report.

However, the real problem for the Axis forces in North Africa was the limited capacity of the Libyan ports.

The Libyan port of Benghazi, a vital supply town, changed hands several times during the course of the fighting in 1941-42.