Don't write-off Libya ceasefire - Turkey

After being unable to reach an expected agreement on the Libyan ceasefire, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar has, on Wednesday, advised against writing off the possibility of an agreement after parties involved failed to reach a consensus yesterday.

The ceasefire in Libya had collapsed after Khalifa Haftar, commander of eastern Libyan forces, failed to sign a binding truce at talks this week.

Haftar’s attempt to seize the Libyan capital, Tripoli, from forces aligned with the internationally recognized government of Fayez al-Serraj is in its ninth month and talks have been ongoing in Moscow to resolve it.

Since Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in 2011, the North African country has been in turmoil, with outside powers providing support to rival factions. Turkey backs Serraj’s government. [Ekathimerini]

“We cannot say that the ceasefire has collapsed, it’s much too early for such an interpretation,” Akar told reporters in Ankara, adding that Ankara was waiting for the outcome of efforts by Moscow, which has given support to Haftar.

Akar also revealed that Turkey has sent a training and cooperation team which is now active in Libya, Akar said.

According to reports, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday Turkey would “teach a lesson” to Haftar if his attacks against the Tripoli-based government continued.

On Sunday, Germany will host a summit on Libya involving the rival camps, their main foreign backers and representatives from the United Nations, the United States, Russia, Britain, France, China, Turkey and Italy. [Reuters]