Libyan putschist general Khalifa Haftar, who last year launched an offensive to capture the capital Tripoli from the UN-recognized government for national agreement (GNA) led by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj, on Thursday threatened to use force against Turkish troops if Ankara did not stop supporting it legitimate government in the war-torn North African country.
Haftar’s comments came in response to the Turkish parliament’s decision to extend an 18-month law allowing the deployment of Turkish troops to Libya. Turkish military assistance to Tripoli-based GNA, including advisers, equipment and intelligence, helped stop Haftar’s annual attacks on the capital.
“There will be no security or peace as long as the boots of the Turkish military desecrate our immaculate land,” Haftar said in comments from his eastern stronghold, Benghazi, on the 69th anniversary of Libya’s independence day. We will carry weapons to create peace with our own hands and our free will. ”
Since 2015, Libya has been divided between two administrations, one in the east and one in the west. Throughout his campaign to try to capture Tripoli, which collapsed in June, Eastern-based illegal forces loyal to Haftar had support from the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Egypt, France and Russia. A report by UN experts has said that Russia has supported Haftar’s forces with military equipment and private armed agents. In addition to Turkey, the Tripoli government has received support from Qatar.
The decision by Turkish lawmakers came on Tuesday following a UN-brokered ceasefire in Libya declared in October. In the ceasefire agreement, the alien was planned by foreign forces and mercenaries within three months.
“The colonizing enemy has one of two choices: either to leave peacefully or to be expelled by force,” Haftar said, referring to Turkey.
Earlier this year, Haftar again threatened Turkey by saying: “All Turkish positions and interests in all cities are legitimate targets for our air force jets.”
In response, Ankara had said that militias loyal to Haftar in Libya would be considered legitimate targets if Turkish forces and interests were threatened and threatened “heavy consequences”.
The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) seized the same national opportunity to call on Libya’s rivals to observe the ceasefire and respect a political roadmap that foresees national elections to be held in December 2021.
“While urging Libyans to consolidate their efforts and take courageous steps towards national reconciliation and look forward to a bright future for all Libyans to live in peace and prosperity, it reaffirms its full commitment to helping the Libyan people build their united state,” he said. said a statement from UNSMIL on Thursday.
Earlier this month, 75 Libyan politicians from opposing camps practically gathered in a UN-initiated political forum and agreed to hold elections next year. However, they failed to break the deadlock of the transitional electoral mechanism that would lead the country to the vote.
“A tough ceasefire continues to be maintained in Libya between forces allied with the Tripoli-based government and their rivals in the east,” said a commentary published on Thursday by the International Crisis Group. The conflict could end abruptly.
In recent weeks, both sides have changed allegations of violating the terms of the ceasefire agreement by continuing to mobilize their troops near the front lines and receive military support from their respective regional supporters.
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