Libyan Parliament warns against Turkish interference & flow of oil revenues to militias

CAIRO - 1 July 2020: The Libyan Parliament warned against the consequences of the flagrant Turkish interference in Libya, adding that Turkish officials are imposing their orders on the Tripoli-based Government of the National Accord (GNA).

The Libyan Parliament had warned on Tuesday of an influx of oil revenues that will support militias and mercenaries who fight alongside GNA forces against the Libyan National Army (LNA), according to Al-Arabiya.

Al-Arabiya reported that Ankara is transferring new batches of mercenaries to Libya to support Al-Wefaq forces in the face of the LNA, pointing out that Turkey is practicing flagrant violations against the sovereignty of the Libyan state.

Furthermore, Deputy Speaker of the Libyan Parliament Ahmed Houmah asserted that Libyan Parliament Speaker Aquila Saleh will visit Russia soon, explaining in statements that Parliament supports international efforts to resume the political process and solve the Libyan crisis.

Houma Pointed out that the Libyan tribes and friendly countries will repel any mercenary attack against the Libyan army, describing them as Turkish invaders.

In the same context, the Libyan Central Bank announced on June 30 that deposits of approximately $8 billion were transferred to Turkish banks, noting that compensations of $3 billion were sent to Turkish companies after an agreement between Fayez al-Sarraj and Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

The Libyan Central Bank also said that there is a blatant interference by the Turkish government in the Libyan affairs, noting that the Turkish intervention aims to seize the Libyan funds.

For his part, Libyan National Army Commander Khalifa Haftar met with LNA Prime Minister Abdullah Al-Thani and Foreign Minister Abdel-Hadi Al-Hawaij to discuss ways to activate the Cairo Declaration and the Berlin outputs to find a political settlement to the Libyan crisis.

Meanwhile, Tunisia affirmed its categorical rejection of foreign interference in the internal affairs of Libya and its continuous support for the United Nations' efforts to advance the path of the political settlement in Libya.

The Tunisian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Tunisian Minister of Foreign Affairs Noureddine El-Ray confirmed during his meeting with the ambassadors of the United States of America in Tunisia and Libya the importance of the role of neighboring countries in activating the political and constitutional track per the relevant UN resolutions, so that Libya can devote itself to development and reconstruction.

The Tunisian minister of foreign affairs affirmed Tunisia's steadfast stance on the Libyan file, which is based on adhering to international legitimacy and relevant United Nations resolutions, and the need to preserve the political track as a way to resolve the Libyan crisis.

In December 2019, Turkey signed with the GNA, an interim non-elected government that is recognized by the United Nations, two MoUs on defense, and gas drilling in the Mediterranean.

The maritime border agreement was rejected by several countries including Egypt, Greece, Cyprus and the UAE and described as an illegal act that violated the sovereignty of other Mediterranean states.

Since January 2020, Turkey has been transporting Syrian mercenaries into the North African state and has sent military officers and experts to command the operation rooms of the militias affiliated to the GNA.

Civil war broke out in Libya after the toppling of long-time ruler Muammer Gaddafi in 2011, who was later killed. Numerous militias have been fighting for power and influence in the country, with Tripoli-allied militias backed by Turkey, Qatar and Italy. Meanwhile, eastern-based military Commander KhalifaHaftar’s Libyan National Army is backed by the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, France and Russia.