Turkey: controversy over the death of two soldiers in Libya

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaking to his party's legislators at the Turkish Grand National Assembly (Parliament) in Ankara, February 19, 2020. Adem ALTAN / AFP

Text by: Anne Andlauer

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the deaths of two Turkish soldiers in Libya on Tuesday. The first two soldiers killed since Ankara deployed troops in Libya in early January to support the Tripoli government. This announcement reopens the debate on Turkish engagement in Libya.

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From our correspondent in Istanbul,

Last week, Recep Tayyip Erdogan first mentioned the death of "a few martyrs " in Libya, without giving further details. The parliamentary opposition, which had voted against this intervention , was scandalized by the formula and the nationalist opposition daily Yeniçag announced over the weekend the death of a colonel and another officer, presented as members of military intelligence.

The Twitter accounts of the two journalists behind the revelations were immediately hacked and the information deleted from the Yeniçag site. The Ministry of Defense, which usually announces the death of soldiers and their names, has remained silent.

► Read also: Libya: the challenges of the Turkish military initiative

This Tuesday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan finally confirmed the death of " two martyrs " without saying more, there again. " I gave the figure. Now what will Mr. Kemal do with it? Launched the head of state, indicating that this announcement was primarily a response to the leader of the main opposition party, Kemal Kiliçdaroglu.

Kemal Kiliçdaroglu, who heads the Social Democratic CHP, jumped on the ball during a speech to his parliamentary group. He accused the president of using " the army of the Republic of Turkey as a palace army " and of hiding the situation in Libya from parliament. " What's going on in Libya? You have to tell us, ”insisted Kemal Kiliçdaroglu.

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  • Turkey
  • Recep Tayyip Erdogan
  • Libya
  • Defense

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