22/08/2020 – Turkey, Qatar, and Libya’s Government of National Accord signed an agreement to establish a Turkish naval base in the Libyan city of Misrata, the Al-Arabiya TV channel reported citing sources.
Turkish and Qatari defence ministers Hulusi Akar and Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah arrived in Tripoli on Monday. The ministers held meetings with the leaders of the Government, Libya’s High Council of State, as well as the Government’s Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha.
According to Al Arabiya’s sources, the agreement envisions « the creation of a trilateral military coordination centre in the city of Misrata, as well as the creation of training centres and headquarters for GNA militants in Doha ».
In July, Khalid bin Mohamed Al Attiyah, Hulusi Akar, and Fathi Bashagha held negotiations on the situation in Libya in the Turkish capital of Ankara.
Previously, Turkey provided military support to the Government of National Accord after Ankara and Tripoli signed a military cooperation pact. In response, the Libyan National Army leader Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar vowed to oppose the Turkish forces and accused Ankara of meddling in Libyan internal affairs.
As of today, Libya is divided between two main centres of power — an elected parliament in the country’s east, supported by the Libyan National Army, and the UN-backed Government of National Accord in the west, headed by Fayez Sarraj.
BY CAIRO SPUTNIK
Sahel-Elite (Bamako-Mali) | Photo : © REUTERS / AYMAN AL-SAHILI
Sahel-Elite (Bamako-Mali) 