Erdogan Says 2 Turkish Troops Killed in Libya

Arab World

February 25th, 9:16am

Asharq Al-Awsat

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (AP)

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan acknowledged on Tuesday two Turkish troops were killed in Libya where Ankara has sent forces to support the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord against an offensive by the Libyan National Army. Turkey and the GNA signed last year a military cooperation deal and Ankara has since sent troops and allied Syrian fighters there. Ankara has so far claimed its forces were not fighting in Libya but rather providing coordination to the GNA. Erdogan said on Saturday that Turkey had "several martyrs" in Libya, and on Tuesday he clarified two had died. "We have two martyrs of ours there (Libya)," Erdogan told a news conference in Ankara, repeating there were also fighters from the Syrian National Army working with Turkish personnel. The Syrian National Army is a Turkey-backed opposition group fighting against pro-Damascus forces in northern Syria. On Sunday, the LNA said it had killed 16 Turkish soldiers in recent weeks, accusing Ankara of continuing to provide military support to militias loyal to the GNA. LNA officer Khaled al-Mahjoub threatened Erdogan that “more” troops will be killed. A prominent LNA military official told Asharq Al-Awsat Sunday that Erdogan was recently in the Turkish city of Izmir to attend the funeral of officers killed in Tripoli. He identified some of the deceased as members of a unit that was manning an artillery canon near the Rixos Hotel in Tripoli. “This is evidence that the Turks are hiding their artillery among civilians,” he charged, revealing that “several” of their forces have been killed, but Ankara does not disclose any figures.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://aawsat.com/english/home/article/2148631/erdogan-says-2-turkish-troops-killed-libya