LibyaPolitics

Tripoli faces ‘conspiracy,’ we stand with GNA: Erdogan

Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan has condemned the Libyan National Army (LNA) operation on Tripoli, saying that Ankara “will harness all its capabilities to end conspiracy against Libya.”

During a phone call with head of the Presidency Council (PC) Faiez al-Sarraj Sunday, Erdogan endorsed the Government of National Accord (GNA) key role to stop LNA from sweeping Tripoli.

Erdogan stressed that he backs the GNA as the internationally recognized government for Libya.

The Turkish president added that there is no military solution to the Libyan conflict. He emphasized that the “political course” is the only option to build a civilian state.

Sarraj thanked Erdogan for his stance, which he described as a “clear, refusing” position against the LNA assault on Tripoli.

Turkey; however, has been accused earlier by the LNA of waging a proxy war in Libya through arming militia and smuggling weapons into the country.

In January, a Turkish weapon shipment was seized at Misurata port; head of the Customs Guard Tarek Abdel Karim told 218 News. The shipment carried a car with different kinds of weapons inside it, up to 450 9-ml pistols.

Two containers of four million bullets, a large number of 5mm hand guns as well as thousands of pistols and rifles coming from Turkey created a huge media and political storm in December.

In January, Washington Examiner newspaper reported saying that Turkey should be designated as a “sponsor of terrorism” for supporting terrorist groups in Syria, Libya, Somalia and Kenya.

In February, Egyptian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sameh Shoukry warned of Turkey’s “confusing role” in African countries, particularly Libya.

The international community should be “credible” and hold accountable those who support terrorist groups, and not only hold international counter-terrorism conferences, Shoukry told Extra News on the sidelines of the AU, held in Addis Ababa 10-11 February.

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