Turkey sent another 300 foreign fighters to Libya
-
Roshan Amiri
- . April 13, 2020
- . Update: April 13, 2020 3:04 pm
In recent days, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent another 300 Syrian fighters to Libya, in support of the militias affiliated to the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA), which still fighting against the Libyan national army south of Tripoli and Misrata. Despite the world pandemic COVID-19, with Europe busy to combat the spread of the virus, Erdogan continues his crazy mission in Libya sending weapons shipments, drones and foreign fighters. Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj announced Saturday to have receive medical aid from Turkey, including medical supplies and personal protection tools for the Ministry of Health. The expedition destined for the Libyan people, however, has been described in two different versions by the governments of the two countries.
The information office of the Tripoli Presidential Council said only that the Turkish ambassador to Tripoli, Serhat Aksen, received the shipment by delivering it to the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Health, Muhammad al-Haytham, indicating that the shipment had a slogan : “After desperation, only hope and after darkness, only the sun”. Fayez al-Serraj expressed gratitude, in the brief note, to the Republic of Turkey for this material support, which reflects “the depth of bilateral relations and the bonds of brotherhood and friendship between the two brother peoples”. However, the premier didn’t say what was mentioned by the Turkish news agency ‘Anadolu’, which quoting a tweet of Ankara’s Ministry of Defense, said that “on order of President Erdogan material to the Libyan brothers and to our military training and consultancy teams that are active in the region was sent” . These military support teams have disappeared in the statements of the Libyan government as the agreements signed by the two countries have been rejected by the International community.
Clashes intensified between the Libyan National Army (LNA) and Government of National Accord (GNA) forces in the last 48 hours. Clashes were the heaviest in the Airport Road engagement axis. LNA forces continue to alternate advances and tactical retreats to bleed GNA forces. LNA forces led by Khalifa Haftar reached yet again the Rabish Abu Salim area during the day, before later retreating. This would be the second documented LNA advance in the area over the past two weeks. The development lends further credence to the assessment that LNA is intent to continue pushing northward from the central part of Tripoli’s southern frontlines with the ultimate objective of reaching areas with key GNA ministries and buildings at the heart of the capital. Meanwhile, both forces continue to exchange accusations of targeting civilian assets including hospitals, ambulances and medical staff.
