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Libya unity govt may seek Turkish deployment: minister
TUNIS, Dec 26, 2019 (BSS/AFP) – Libya’s UN-recognised unity government
said Thursday it may officially seek Turkish military support in the face of
a bid by the country’s eastern based strongman to seize Tripoli.
Khalifa Haftar’s self-styled Libyan National Army launched an offensive in
April to take the capital from the internationally recognised Government of
National Accord (GNA), making rapid gains before becoming stalled on the edge
of the capital.
Haftar has “provided foreign forces with military bases in Libya,” GNA
Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha told journalists in Tunis on Thursday.
“If this position continues we have the right to defend Tripoli and we
will officially ask the Turkish government for its military support.”
Haftar has received support from Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and
Russia, while Turkey has backed the GNA.
The Turkish parliament on Saturday ratified a security and military
cooperation deal with the GNA, which Turkish officials say would allow Ankara
to send military and security personnel to Libya for training purposes.
Bashagha said the GNA could seek Turkish support to “remove” foreign-
backed, pro-Haftar mercenary forces and their bases.
Libya was plunged into chaos with the toppling and killing of longtime
dictator Moamer Kadhafi in a 2011 NATO-backed uprising.
It has since become divided between two main camps: the GNA and a rival
administration in the country’s east, backed by Haftar.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday opened the way for direct
Turkish military intervention in the North African country, announcing the
January 7 tabling of a parliamentary motion on sending troops to support the
GNA.
That came a day after he made a brief visit to Libya’s neighbour Tunisia,
where he announced that “if Turkey is invited (to send troops to support the
unity government), we will accept”.
BSS/AFP/BZC/2020HRS