Turkey and Qatar Monday deepened their footprint in
Libya as the defense ministers of the two countries agreed to boost the
military institution of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA)
headquartered in Tripoli.
Turkish defense
minister Hulusi Akar and his Qatari counterpart Khaled Al Attiyah met with
GNA’s deputy defense minister Salah Al-Namroush in an unannounced meeting.
According to the
deal, Qatar will send to Libya military advisers to train Libyan cadres, in
addition to hosting some cadres in military colleges in Turkey and Qatar.
“The Libyan
Government of National Accord, Qatar and Turkey have agreed that the political
solution is the only way out of the crisis in the country and stressed support
for this track to regain stability in Libya.” Al-Namroush told reporters.
Turkey and its
ally Qatar have emerged as GNA’s iconic global backers in face of rivalry from
east-based opposed administration supported by the UAE, Russia, France, Egypt
and Saudi Arabia.
The GNA, thanks to
Turkey’s military support, has managed to foil its overthrow by Khalifa Haftar,
a rebel and military General backed by the rival administration.
Haftar launched in
April last year a military offensive to overrun Tripoli. Driven out of several
territories, Haftar’s forces have retreated and camped in Sirte that they
seized from the GNA last year
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Source: North
Africa Post,
