Turkey is planning on setting up permanent military bases in Libya, revealed a Turkish source to Reuters on Monday.
Ankara is seeking to keep a permanent foothold in the North African country at the al-Watiya airbase and the port of the coastal city of Misrata.
Talks are underway with the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) over the issue, added the source.
Ankara threw its support behind the government in Tripoli last year after the GNA signed a maritime demarcation accord that it says gives Turkish drilling rights near Crete, but that is opposed by Greece, Cyprus and the European Union.
Meanwhile, Turkish Minister of Energy and Natural Resources Fatih Donmez revealed that GNA chief, Fayez al-Sarraj, had discussed with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan the boosting of cooperation in oil and gas drilling.
Sarraj had visited Ankara last week.
Donmez said his country was determined to build two major powerplants in Libya, adding that the state-operated oil company will begin drilling in the Mediterranean within three weeks.
Separately, Speaker of the east-based Libyan parliament, Aguila Saleh, was quick to deny rumors that he was planning on paying a visit to Turkey soon. He also denied receiving an invitation to travel to the country.
“This issue isn’t even up for debate,” he said.
Meanwhile, Libyan National Army (LNA) spokesman Ahmed al-Mismari revealed that seven Turkish warships were anchored off Libya’s coast. He accused Ankara of sending several mercenaries, troops and Turkish officers after several of the forces it backs suffered major losses in equipment and lives in ongoing fighting in the country.
He urged the international community to blacklist Erdogan as a “war criminal” for the atrocities his forces and mercenaries have committed against humanity in Libya.
The crimes of the pro-Erdogan militias south of Tripoli, in Tarhuna and al-Asaba have been documented, Mismari added.
He also urged the United Nations to immediately launch a probe in the recently unearthed mass graves in Tarhuna, but doubted that any such effort would be a success due to the militias’ control of the city.
