Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday condemned Egypt and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) for supporting Libyan eastern commander Khalifa Haftar’s forces in their fight against the U.N. recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), reported Reuters.
Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) is locked in a 15-month long conflict against Turkish-backed forces loyal to the GNA in Tripoli.
The statement comes after Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi warned of action against any act that poses a direct threat to Egyptian and Libyan national security. Sisi met on Thursday with the heads of Libyan tribes in his country’s capital Cairo who urged him to intervene in the war. He warned that Egypt would not stand idle in the face of increasing military mobilization near the city of Sirte in the north of Libya.
Turkey has been providing military aid to the Tripoli-based government in the Libya conflict, while the UAE, Egypt, and Russia are supporting Haftar and his forces.
When asked about the possibility of Egyptian intervention, Turkish President Erdogan said Turkey would maintain its support for the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).
“Steps taken by Egypt here, especially their siding with the putschist Haftar, show they are in an illegal process,” he said.
The Turkish president also described the approach of the United Arab Emirates as “piratical”.
Mr. Erdogan reiterated that Turkey “will not allow our Libyan brothers to stand alone,” heralding a new deal with the Libyan government.
“Our ties with Libya have a long history spanning over 500 years,” the president told reporters following Friday prayers in Istanbul.
Last month, Egyptian President Sisi said Egypt’s army might enter Libya if the Tripoli government and its Turkish allies renewed an assault on the central Sirte-Jufrah frontline, seen as the gateway to Libya’s main oil export terminals, now held by Haftar’s allies.
