Turkey Threatens to Target Haftar HQ if LNA Attacks its Interests in Libya

Arab World

May 22nd, 6:09am

Ankara – Saeed Abdulrazek

Smoke rises from an attack on Tripoli, Libya. (AFP file photo)

Turkey warned the Libyan National Army (LNA), commanded by Khalifa Haftar, of “very grave consequences” if his forces attacked Ankara’s interests in Libya. “In the event Turkish interests in Libya are targeted, this will have very grave consequences,” Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman Hami Aksoy said. Presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalin was quoted as saying by broadcaster NTV that attacks on Turkish positions would prompt heavy retaliation. The LNA’s air force chief Saqer al-Jaroushi said in a video posted on social media late on Wednesday that “all Turkish positions and interests in all occupied cities will be targeted,” in what he said would be the biggest air operation in Libyan history. Aksoy said Turkey will consider Haftar’s forces legitimate targets if its interests are attacked in Libya. A senior Turkish official said the country’s military was well prepared to defend its sites and areas under its protection using Turkish drones and warships deployed near Tripoli. He told Bloomberg retaliation to LNA attacks may target Haftar’s personal headquarters. In what could be their most significant advance for nearly a year, the Turkey-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) took control of the Watiya air base southwest of Tripoli on Monday. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had chaired a security meeting on Wednesday to discuss Libya in detail, along with developments in Syria and Iraq. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, meanwhile, held telephone talks with his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov to discuss Libya and Syria. Turkish foreign ministry sources and a statement from the Russian foreign ministry said they underscored the importance of an immediate cessation of hostilities and resumption of the UN-sponsored peace process. Erdogan had held talks on Monday with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Libya.

from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/2296556/turkey-threatens-target-haftar-hq-if-lna-attacks-its-interests-libya