Turkey’s President Tayyip Erdogan has maintained that Turkish military units have started moving into Libya to render support to the internationally-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), based in Tripoli.
The deployment was approved by Turkey’s parliament and is geared at protecting the country’s interests in North Africa and the Mediterranean and is in response to Libya’s request for support. Moreover, the deployment was announced as at least 30 people were killed and several dozen others wounded in an attack on a military academy in Tripoli.
In December, the GNA requested Turkish support as it fends off an offensive by General Khalifa Haftar’s forces, which are backed by Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Jordan. The crisis in Libya has been accelerating with the two opposing governments seeking to establish a legitimate rule in the North African country.
While the move to support the GNA has faced pressure and opposition from international and regional supports of General Haftar, Turkey has maintained that its involvement is purely in the defense of its sovereignty and national security.
