ERDOĞAN SAYS TURKEY ACCEPTS LIBYA’S INVITATION TO DEPLOY TROOPS

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced military backing for Libya’s internationally recognised government, now that the north African country requested it.

Erdogan said on Thursday that he will present deployment legislation to the Turkish parliament in January.

Thursday’s announcement to support the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) came a day after Erdogan met with his Tunisian counterpart, Kais Saied, during a surprise visit to the Tunisian capital to discuss developments in neighbouring Libya .

Erdogan told reporters at a news conference on Wednesday that they discussed ways of establishing a ceasefire and bringing warring factions back to the negotiating table.

The visit came a month after Turkish and Libyan officials, led by GNA Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, signed a memorandum of understanding on security and military cooperation.

The GNA’s cabinet of ministers and Turkish legislators have since approved the deal. 

Erdogan has reiterated Turkey’s willingness to send troops to support the GNA, saying Ankara would do so at the Libyan government’s request.

Rival administrations

Libya has been in turmoil since 2011 when a NATO-backed uprising toppled longtime ruler Muammar Gaddafi.

The country has been split into rival eastern and western administrations since 2014, with the GNA, currently controlling Tripoli, situated in northwestern Libya, and a parallel administration holding the east of the oil-rich country, supported by renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA).

Since early April, Haftar waged a months-long military campaign against the GNA, which he accuses of harbouring “terrorist elements”.

Russia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia, Egypt and, to a lesser extent, France, support Haftar.

More to follow…