Turkey Dismisses Egyptian Proposal for Libya Cease-fire

The Turkish government has dismissed an Egyptian proposal for an immediate cease-fire in Libya, claiming Cairo’s goal is to prop up strongman Khalifa Haftar following major setbacks in his military campaign to take Tripoli. Haftar, who heads the self-styled Libyan National Army (LNA), controls much of eastern and southern Libya, and has been waging a year-long offensive aimed at conquering the rest of the country, especially its capital city. Tripoli is the seat of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA). The LNA is backed by Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates, whereas Turkey has sent troops (and, allegedly, mercenaries from Syria) in support of the GNA. “If a ceasefire is to be signed, it should be done at a platform that brings everyone together. [This] call to save Haftar does not seem sincere or believable to us,” Ankara’s foreign minister was quoted by local media as saying. These developments come 10 days after the United Nations Support Mission in Libya announced that the warring parties had agreed to restart truce negotiations as a springboard to a final deal aimed at ending nearly a decade of conflict since the overthrow and death of dictator Muamar Gaddafi.