Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar on Wednesday said in a letter to the port and maritime transport administration that his forces do not oppose the docking of Turkish-flagged commercial ships in the port of eastern Benghazi province, which his militias control.
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“We have no objection to entering our ports with Turkish-flagged commercial vessels following the stated legal procedures and legislation,” Libya Al-Hadath, a pro-Haftar television station, quoted him in the letter.
Libya has been torn apart by civil war since the late ruler Moammar Gadhafi was ousted in 2011.
The war escalated when Haftar, with the support of several countries – including the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Russia and France – launched a military offensive to overthrow the Tripoli-based internationally recognized government for control of the North African country.
In June 2019, Haftar issued an order targeting Turkish vessels in territorial waters and considered Turkish companies and positions as legitimate targets.
A Turkish ship carrying medicine to the Libyan port of Misrata was arrested in December last year by forces loyal to Haftar. It was released a few days later.
Ankara and Tripoli signed two Memorandum of Understanding, one on military cooperation and one on maritime borders for countries in the eastern Mediterranean.
On October 23, 2020, a ceasefire was achieved under the auspices of the UN, which Haftar’s militia breaks from time to time.
On February 5, Libyan delegates elected Mohammad Menfi head of the three-member presidency and Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh new prime minister. The new executive will govern Libya in the run-up to national elections on 24 December.
Last week, the Libyan parliament granted a vote of confidence to the Dbeibah government with 132 votes out of the 133 lawmakers who attended the session.
Libyans hope it will end a decade of civil war.
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