July 1, 2019 – Six Turkish sailors held by forces led by Libyan strongman Khalifa Haftar have been freed, a Turkish foreign ministry official said on Monday. “The sailors are free. According to their wishes, they continue to work,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. The ministry did not give details about when the six were first held. Haftar last week ordered his forces to target Turkish companies and arrest Turkish nationals after he lost a key town to forces backing Libya’s internationally recognised government, also supported by Ankara.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last month confirmed that his country provides weapons to the Government of National Accord (GNA) under a “military cooperation agreement”. Haftar’s forces, which hold much of eastern and southern Libya, launched an offensive in early April to seize the capital from the government. On Sunday, his forces said they destroyed a Turkish Bayraktar drone in a strike on an airport in Tripoli.

Turkey’s defence minister had earlier on Sunday warned Ankara would retaliate against any attacks. Libya has been mired in chaos after multiple militias were locked in a power struggle following a NATO-backed uprising ended with dictator Moamer Kadhafi’s death in 2011. T urkey’s interest in Libya relates to its Ottoman past as the country was part of the empire until 1912 when the north African country was conquered by Italy.

Libya has become a key battleground in a regional struggle between backers and opponents of Islamists including the Muslim Brotherhood, to which Erdogan’s ruling party is affiliated. Haftar has the support of the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

By AFP

Six Turks held in Libya as Haftar claims Turkish drone destroyed

By Imed Lamloum with Raziye Akkoc in Ankara

Tripoli, June 30, 2019 (AFP) – Turkey said Sunday six of its nationals were being held by forces led by Khalifa Haftar, as the Libyan strongman’s troops said they had destroyed a Turkish drone in Tripoli. Haftar ordered attacks on Turkish assets after he lost a key town to forces backing Libya’s internationally recognised government, also supported by Ankara.

Turkey’s foreign ministry said Sunday that “the detention of six of our citizens by illegal militia forces linked to Haftar is an act of thuggery and piracy.” “We expect our citizens to be immediately released,” it said in a statement. “Should this not happen, Haftar elements will become legitimate targets.” It did not give details on where the Turks were being held or when they had been detained, and a ministry source told AFP there was “no additional
information to give at this stage”.

Haftar’s forces, which hold much of eastern and southern Libya, launched an offensive in early April to seize the capital from the internationally recognised unity government. Both sides have accused each other of receiving backing from foreign powers. After Haftar lost the strategic city of Gharyan to pro-unity government forces in an operation he accused Ankara of backing, he ordered his forces to target Turkish companies, ban flights and arrest Turkish nationals in Libya, his spokesman said Friday.

On Sunday, his forces said they had destroyed a Turkish drone in a strike on an airport in Tripoli. “Our fighter (jets) targeted and destroyed a Turkish Bayraktar aircraft as it was taking off” from Mitiga airport, Haftar’s self-style Libyan National Army said in a statement on Facebook. “The aircraft had been prepared to target our armed forces’ positions,” it said. Airport authorities said they had suspended flights “until further notice” following an air strike. An airport official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said a raid had targeted a runway without causing casualties or damage.

– Turkey vows ‘heavy price’ –

Libya was plunged into a bloody power struggle between an array of militias following a NATO-backed uprising that led to dictator Moamer Kadhafi’s downfall and death in 2011. Haftar was a retired general who had taken part in the revolt against Kadhafi, but in May 2014 he launched his assault to purge the country of Islamist “terrorists”.

Earlier on Sunday, Turkish Defence Minister Hulusi Akar warned there would be a “heavy price for hostile attitudes or attacks”. “We will retaliate in the most effective and strong way,” Akar told state news agency Anadolu. Turkey has a keen interest in Libya, which was part of the Ottoman Empire until 1912 when the north African country was conquered by Italy. Libya has also become a key battleground in a regional struggle between backers and opponents of Islamists including the Muslim Brotherhood, to which Turkey’s ruling AKP is affiliated.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has confirmed his country backs the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) and provides weapons to it under a “military cooperation agreement”. He told reporters on June 20 that Turkish backing had allowed Tripoli to “rebalance” the fight against Haftar, who has the backing of the United Arab Emirates and Egypt.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu last month criticised “some countries” for supply Haftar with weapons and ammunition. On Saturday, unity government forces showed journalists weapons they said they had seized after ousting Haftar’s forces from Gharyan. They included US-made Javelin anti-tank missiles and seven Chinese-made Norinco GP6 artillery weapons packed in wooden crates marked “United Arab Emirates armed forces”.