Turkey said that the forces of retired Major General Khalifa Hifter should withdraw from the cities of Sirte and Jafra to start political negotiations, in light of military reinforcements there by both the Libyan army and Haftar, while Egypt and Turkey exchange views on the demarcation of the maritime border with Libya.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşo أوlu said in press statements, that Turkey is trying to force Haftar's forces to withdraw from the two cities, noting that if this does not happen then the military operation being prepared for this goal will inevitably come.

He explained that Turkey wants a political solution in Libya, and wants a ceasefire there to talk and plan for a political solution, and the Turkish presidency announced that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin telephoned developments in Libya and other regional issues.

Military reinforcements

On Sunday, the Libyan army affiliated to the National Accord Government announced that it would strengthen its defense system in preparation for a possible battle in Sirte, and would form a joint force to secure the western region after the forces of retired Major General Khalifa Haftar were expelled from it.

Brigadier-General Ibrahim Beit Al-Mal, the commander of the Sirte and Al-Jafra operations room, which is affiliated to the Al-Wefaq government, said that the president of the Al-Wefaq government, Fayez al-Sarraj, and military leaders had agreed during a meeting held on Saturday in Tripoli to increase technical support for the fighting hubs west of Sirte, and to improve the defense system more and more broadly.

On the page of the Sirte and Al-Jafra Operations Room on Facebook, Beit Al-Mal added that this came after monitoring of Haftar forces in the area between Sirte (450 km east of Tripoli) and Al-Jafra.

The Al-Wefaq forces - after taking control of the southern suburbs of Tripoli and the city of Tarhuna (80 km southeast of the capital) in early June - began heading towards the city of Sirte, but the front lines have not changed since that time.

While Libyan officials affirm the determination of the Al-Wefaq government to restore Sirte and the base of Al-Jafra, international forces are trying to avoid a new military escalation in Libya, while countries supporting Hifter seek to discourage the internationally recognized Libyan government from moving east, after their forces have reached the outskirts of Sirte.

Earlier, the "Volcano of Rage" operation room of the National Accord government released photos it said were circulating on social media on crowds of Haftar forces with armed vehicles and two Russian-made "Panzzer" air defense systems.

And the Operation "Anger Volcano" - on its Facebook page - added that these military reinforcements of Haftar forces are heading to the city of Sirte, which is controlled by Haftar forces backed by the mercenaries of the Russian company "Wagner", the Janjaweed and the Syrians.

Understanding with Egypt

The Turkish Foreign Minister revealed that his country exchanges views - at the expert level - with Egypt regarding the memorandum of understanding to demarcate the maritime borders with Libya.

He also clarified that Turkey will start seismic surveys and exploration for natural resources in a part of the eastern Mediterranean, as part of an agreement signed by Ankara and the Government of Accord in November.

He expressed Turkey's readiness to work with companies from other countries such as Italy, Britain, the United States and Russia.