Turkish minister in Libya for defence co-operation talks
Turkey’s defence minister and military chief visited war-torn Libya’s capital yesterday, the country’s UNrecognised government said, the second visit in weeks by a minister from its main international backer.
Defence Minister Hulusi Akar and Chief of General Staff Yasar Guler discussed “military and security co-operation” with the head of the Government of National Accord Fayez al-Sarraj and military officials, the GNA said.
The visit comes a month after GNA forces declared they were back in full control of Tripoli and its suburbs following a yearlong offensive by eastern military strongman Khalifa Haftar to seize the capital.
On June 17, Turkeys’ foreign and finance ministers Mevlut Cavusoglu and Berat Albayrak, along with intelligence chief Hakan Fidan, visited Tripoli for talks with Sarraj.
Yesterday’s talks covered defence and security training programmes under a deal signed by Tripoli and Ankara in November last year, a statement said.
“Turkish support for (the GNA) continues in the areas of military and security co-operation,” said GNA deputy defence minister Salah Namrush.