Supported by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, and Russia, General Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) had launched the operation of retaking Tripoli, the capital of the city, reaching its outskirts more than one year ago.
Last week, the army of Libya’s UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), led by Fayez Mustafa al-Sarraj, seized Al-Watiya Air Base from General Khalifa Haftar’s LNA.
Libyan GNA forces using Turkish-made armed unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) destroyed Russian-made Pantsir air defense systems and displayed an undamaged battery in a ceremony in Tripoli.
According to Bloomberg, the forces of General Khalifa Haftar, controlling the eastern part of Libya, threatened to launch a severe airstrike against the Turkish targets in the country.
The announcement released by the name of Saqr Geroushi, chief of staff of Haftar’s Libyan air force, said that all targets and interests of Turkey in the country are legitimate targets of Haftar’s Libyan air forces.
Hami Aksoy, the spokesperson of the Foreign Affairs of Turkey, responded to the announcement.
Aksoy argued in the statement released on the website of the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs that targeting Turkish interests will create a high stakes crisis, and Turkey will regard Hafter’s forces as its legitimate targets.
WHAT HAPPENED?
As a result of the political polarization in Libya started with NATO’s interference in 2011 and continued with the killing of the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, different political and military forces have been in conflict in the country. Rich oil resources are the main objective for armed gangs fighting a proxy war for imperialist forces.
General Haftar backs Abdullah al-Thani, acting in unison with an elected parliament in the eastern part of the country against the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli.
