African Union Commission Chairperson, Moussa Faki Mahamat, on Friday said he is deeply worried about the deteriorating situation in Libya and the continuing suffering of the Libyan people, reported Eye Witness News.
He expressed grave concern over potential interference in Libya after Turkey approved the deployment of troops to the conflict-torn North African nation.
“The various threats of political and military interference in the internal affairs of the country increase the risk of a confrontation, whose motives have nothing to do with the fundamental interests of the Libyan people and their aspirations for freedom, peace, democracy, and development,” Mahamat said in a statement.
The statement comes after Turkish lawmakers passed a bill on Thursday that approves the deployment of military troops in Libya to shore up the United Nations-backed government in Tripoli, which has been under sustained attack since April from eastern commander Khalifa Haftar and his forces. The Turkish government had presented the bill following a request by the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) for help.
Faki called out the international community to join forces with Africa in seeking a peaceful resolution of the crisis, warning it had dangerous consequences in all respects for the country, the region and the continent as a whole.
On Friday, Libya’s military strongman Khalifa Haftar called on the people to take up arms in response to the military intervention from Turkey.
“We accept the challenge and declare jihad and a call to arms,” Haftar said in a televised address.
Turkey’s decision to deploy troops to Libya has been slammed by several countries including Egypt, Greece, Israel, and Cyprus.
Egypt’s Foreign Ministry said the interference will negatively affect stability in the Mediterranean, and Turkey will fully bear this responsibility.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Cyprus President Nicos Anastasiades released a joint statement that said that Turkey’s move constitutes a gross violation of the UNSC resolution and seriously undermines the international community’s efforts to find a peaceful, political solution to the Libyan conflict.
