Turkey Threatens to Retaliate if Troops in Libya Attacked

Turkey threatened to retaliate against any attack by forces loyal to rebel leader Khalifa Haftar on its troops operating in support of Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA).

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar was responding on Saturday night to comments by Haftar, who has support from Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, in which he said that his army would “prepare to drive out the occupier by faith, will and weapons” and called Turkey a “colonizer.”

The GNA is recognized by the United Nations and backed by Turkey.

Akar told Turkish forces during an unscheduled visit to Tripoli that: “If they take such a step, they will be unable to find any place to flee to,” and that: “Everyone should come to their senses.”

The two sides signed a UN-brokered cease-fire agreement in October. Elections in Libya are scheduled for Dec. 24, 2021.