In Libya, Turkish Defense Minister responds to Marshal Haftar

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar (center) visiting Tripoli on December 26, 2020. AP

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In Libya, if the ceasefire signed last October is still generally respected, the belligerents continue to confront each other through communications.

On Thursday, Marshal Khalifa Haftar called on his troops to "drive out the Turkish occupiers".

Ankara's response was immediate.

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There is no question for Ankara of losing influence in Libya.

On an official visit to Tripoli with a delegation of senior officials, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar attended a graduation ceremony of Libyan officers just trained in Turkey on Saturday.

There he met his counterpart from the Government of National Unity headed by Fayez el-Sarraj and the President of the High Council of State.

On this occasion, he spoke with them about " 

the continuation of coordination to repel a possible hostile attempt on the part of the outlaw forces of the rebel Khalifa Haftar

 ".

If the arms have been silent in Libya since

the ceasefire agreement

signed last October, the level of hostility remains very high between the belligerents.

The Turkish Defense Minister's sentence is seen as a response to the inflammatory statement made Thursday by Khalifa Haftar, according to which there could not be peace in Libya " 

in the presence of a colonizer

 ", referring to Turkey.

Last June, Marshal Haftar's forces had to give up taking the capital after more than a year of fighting, despite the support of Russia, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt and some Western countries.

The government in Tripoli had been able to count on the support of Qatar, but above all drones and Turkish military advisers, but also Syrian mercenaries assembled by the Turkish army.

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  • Libya

  • Turkey

  • Khalifa Haftar