While the Libyan National Accord government forces are still stationed on the outskirts of the city of Sirte (450 km east of Tripoli), Libya is witnessing an internal and external political movement, which indicates the imminent achievement of an understanding regarding Sirte and Jufrah, which are controlled by the forces of retired Major General Khalifa Haftar, supported by mercenaries from Russia and other countries. .
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, accompanied by Turkish Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Yasar Golar, visited Libya today, Monday, and met at Tripoli's Maitika airport with Libyan officials and with Qatari Defense Minister Khaled bin Muhammad Al-Attiyah, who is visiting the Libyan capital.
German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas arrived in Tripoli today to meet officials in the Libyan Government of National Accord, and according to Turkish media, the German minister will not meet with the Turkish and Qatari defense ministers.
It is noteworthy that an earlier telephone conversation took place between Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, in which they discussed developments in the eastern Mediterranean and Libya, and the two sides stressed the importance of continuing cooperation and dialogue between the two countries on the two files.
For its part, the UN mission in Libya announced that its Acting President Stephanie Williams discussed with a member of the Presidency Council of the Libyan Government of National Accord Ahmed Maitiq the developments of the Libyan crisis, especially in Sirte, Jufrah and the oil ports.
The mission said that the two parties stressed, during a phone call, the necessity of stopping the military escalation and the restoration of oil production, and stressed the urgent need to reach a permanent ceasefire agreement and to resume a comprehensive political process based on the outcomes of the Berlin Conference and UN Security Council resolutions related to Libya.
Sirte delivery
In the context, a source in the Turkish presidency told Al-Jazeera Net that since last June, when a high-level Turkish delegation visited Libya, arrangements for the control of the Government of National Accord forces over Sirte and Al-Jufrah are moving forward, stressing that there is an understanding between Washington and Ankara that the two areas are under the control of the Government of Accord. Out internationally.
A high-ranking Turkish delegation that includes Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Finance Minister Baraat Albayrak, Director of Intelligence Hakan Fidan, Presidential Spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin, and a large number of advisors and officials in the presidency and the Turkish government visited Tripoli last June, and discussed with the Government of National Accord the restoration of Sirte and Al-Jufrah, and the mechanisms Negotiating with Libyan figures in Benghazi (east), and with the active international powers, especially Russia and America.
The source pointed out to a Russian-Turkish understanding regarding the handover of Sirte to reconciliation with the delay of the delivery of Al-Jufra, and explained that this was discussed in Presidents Erdogan and Putin's recent contact, especially in light of the gradual withdrawal of fighters of the Russian security company "Wagner" from south Sirte.
The source said, "On the political level, the United States and Russia do not object to handing Sirte first and then Al-Jufra to the Government of National Accord, and at the field level, the scales of the battle are in favor of the Accord Forces after Turkey provided them with important air cover through warplanes and drones, especially the" Berikdar "aircraft. And "Senji", which previously enabled it to regain control over the entire west and within 400 kilometers of the capital.
The source added that Sirte and Al-Jufrah will be free of any military presence by Haftar's forces, in addition to the oil fields and ports will return to work again under the exclusive control of the National Oil Corporation, which is authorized to operate its facilities and export Libyan oil.
Communication and understandings
In a previous interview with Al-Jazeera Net, Yassin Aktay, an advisor to the Turkish president, said that it is very likely that an understanding will happen with Russia, similar to what happened in Syria.
Aktay added that there is a need for this understanding, especially that the American position is consistent with the Turkish position on the Libyan issue.
The former Turkish envoy to Libya Amar Allah Eisler also confirmed in an interview with Al-Jazeera Net that there are continuous contacts with the Russians, the Americans and some politicians in eastern Libya, without disclosing further details.
After the Al-Wefaq government forces expelled Haftar's forces from western Libya thanks to Turkish military support within the framework of the military cooperation agreement signed by the two sides last November, the Al-Wefaq forces' operations on the borders of Sirte stopped when, on the day of their first attack, they were subjected to an aerial bombardment that left more than 60 people dead.
It is noteworthy that the city of Sirte is located in the middle of the Libyan coast between the west and the east, overlooking the Oil Crescent, and inhabited by more than 80 thousand people, while Al-Jufra is located to the south, and includes an air base that the American Forces in Africa Command (AFRICOM) confirmed that Russia had deployed warplanes. In addition to bringing mercenaries in support of Haftar.