A senior Turkish security official was in Tobruk, eastern Libya, to meet House of Representatives’ Speaker Aqila Saleh, French media Mondafrique reports.
The Turkish official not named by the media, reportedly met Saleh, the political top figure of the eastern Libyan administration opposed to the Government National Accord (GNA).
Saleh is a staunch proponent of Khalifa Haftar, a rebel general seeking to oust the GNA.
Haftar launched in 2019 a military offensive to overrun Tripoli, but Turkey’s intervention enabled the GNA forces to derail the campaign last year. Both sides since October have inked a cease fire agreement and have engaged in various UN-backed talks to lead to elections in December 2021.
The visit of the Turkish official is unprecedented and comes as Egypt, one of Haftar’s backers thaws ties with GNA. The visit also followed Ankara’s recent remarks that Saleh had allegedly sent one of his advisors to Ankara to meet with Turkish officials, adding that he was meant to send his deputy for another visit but it didn’t take place.
Saleh, Libya Observer reports, brushed aside the remarks as he indicated in a tribal meeting that he was still leading the same policy approach that entitled supporting Khalifa Haftar and his military endeavors.
“If the LNA [Libyan National Army] decided to attack Tripoli again to oust Al-Sarraj [head of the GNA], we will be the first to join its forces,” Saleh. Tensions have recently risen between Turkey and Haftar after the Libyan General vowed to attack Turkish interests.
Turkish official in Eastern Libya for talks
