Türkiye has taken a new step toward extending the deployment of its troops in Libya at a time when Speaker of Libya’s House of Representatives Aguila Saleh has expressed rejection of the establishment of foreign military bases in Libya.
Saleh said he is likely to visit Türkiye during the upcoming two weeks, adding that he would meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Turkish counterpart Numan Kurtulmus.
The Turkish Presidency referred to the parliament a memorandum to extend the missions of its forces in Libya for 24 months.
The memorandum stated that the goal of sending Turkish forces was “to protect national interests within the framework of international law, to take all necessary precautions against security risks emanating from illegal armed groups in Libya, and to maintain security against other possible risks, such as mass migration, providing the humanitarian aid that the Libyan people need, and providing the necessary support to the legitimate government in Libya.”
Türkiye sent its forces to Libya on January 2, 2020, and its duties were extended on June 21, 2021, for 18 months.
The memorandum called on Parliament to ratify the extension of the tasks of Turkish forces in Libya for 24 months, starting on January 2, 2024.
"Regarding foreign military bases, we reject [the establishment of] any military base in our country," Saleh said in an interview with Sputnik news agency.
He added in the remarks published Friday that only the exchange of expertise and military and technical cooperation with other countries are acceptable to Libya.
Saleh spoke about the improvement of relations with Ankara, as well as the improvement of Egyptian-Turkish ties.
Saleh had visited Türkiye in August 2022 after more than a decade-long estrangement between East Libya and Ankara.
