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Turkey Escalates in Libya with Naval, Air Maneuvers

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar visits operations center with Interior Minister of Libya’s Government of National Accord Fathi Ali Bashagha before leaving Libya in Misrata, Libya on July 04, 2020. ( Arif Akdogan - Anadolu Agency )
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar visits operations center with Interior Minister of Libya’s Government of National Accord Fathi Ali Bashagha before leaving Libya in Misrata, Libya on July 04, 2020. ( Arif Akdogan - Anadolu Agency )
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Turkey Escalates in Libya with Naval, Air Maneuvers

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar visits operations center with Interior Minister of Libya’s Government of National Accord Fathi Ali Bashagha before leaving Libya in Misrata, Libya on July 04, 2020. ( Arif Akdogan - Anadolu Agency )
Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar visits operations center with Interior Minister of Libya’s Government of National Accord Fathi Ali Bashagha before leaving Libya in Misrata, Libya on July 04, 2020. ( Arif Akdogan - Anadolu Agency )

Turkish and Russian chiefs of staff have discussed the latest developments in Libya in addition to Moscow's call on Ankara to mediate with the Government of National Accord to agree on a ceasefire and join the peace process.

Their talks came as the Turkish Navy announced that it would conduct massive naval exercises off Libya.

The expected maneuvers would be called “Naftex” and would take place off the Libyan coast in three different regions.

The Turkish naval drills will occur in international waters with the participation of 17 warplanes and eight naval vessels to “prove Turkey’s ability to control the region by air and sea.”

The maneuvers were announced following the visit of Turkish Naval Forces Commander Adm. Adnan Ozbal to Tripoli last week.

Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and Chief of Staff Yasar Guler visited Tripoli as well and inspected the Turkish warship ‘TCG Giresun’ off Libya.

"Turkey is with the Libyan brothers. No one should doubt it, we will not give up on it," Akar said.

Turkey does not rule out the possibility of striking Al-Jufrah airbase, learned BulgarianMilitary.com, citing military experts.

Such suspicions came after a video of the exercises was circulated online showing Turkish Air Force F-16 aircraft refueling in the air.

Military expert Yuri Lyamin believes that the conflict in Libya continues to develop along the path of further escalation, especially after the recent destruction of Hawk anti-aircraft missile systems at Al-Watiya airbase.

The Turkish presidency described the attack on the air defense system at the base as a “legal violation.”

Guler and his Russian counterpart Valery Gerasimov discussed Libya on Wednesday, during a phone call. This followed a statement by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov that Turkey and Russia are working on an immediate ceasefire in Libya.

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Italy Plans to Return Ambassador to Syria to Reflect New Diplomatic Developments, Minister Says

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks while meeting with members of the G7, on July 11, 2024, during the NATO summit in Washington. (AP)
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks while meeting with members of the G7, on July 11, 2024, during the NATO summit in Washington. (AP)
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Italy Plans to Return Ambassador to Syria to Reflect New Diplomatic Developments, Minister Says

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks while meeting with members of the G7, on July 11, 2024, during the NATO summit in Washington. (AP)
Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani speaks while meeting with members of the G7, on July 11, 2024, during the NATO summit in Washington. (AP)

Italy plans to send an ambassador back to Syria after a decade-long absence, the country’s foreign minister said, in a diplomatic move that could spark divisions among European Union allies.

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, speaking in front of relevant parliamentary committees Thursday, announced Rome’s intention to re-establish diplomatic ties with Syria to prevent Russia from monopolizing diplomatic efforts in the Middle Eastern country.

Moscow is considered a key supporter of Syrian President Bashar Assad, who has remained in power despite widespread Western isolation and civilian casualties since the start of Syria’s civil war in March 2011.

Peaceful protests against the Assad government — part of the so-called “Arab Spring” popular uprisings that spread across some of the Middle East — were met by a brutal crackdown, and the uprising quickly spiraled into a full-blown civil war.

The conflict was further complicated by the intervention of foreign forces on all sides and a rising militancy, first by al-Qaida-linked groups and then the ISIS group until its defeat on the battlefield in 2019.

The war, which has killed nearly half a million people and displaced half the country’s pre-war population of 23 million, is now largely frozen, despite ongoing low-level fighting.

The country is effectively carved up into areas controlled by the Damascus-based government of Assad, various opposition groups and Syrian Kurdish forces.

In the early days of the conflict, many Western and Arab countries cut off relations with Syria, including Italy, which has since managed Syria-related diplomacy through its embassy in Beirut.

However, since Assad has regained control over most of the territory, neighboring Arab countries have gradually restored relations, with the most symbolically significant move coming last year when Syria was re-admitted to the Arab League.

Tajani said Thursday the EU’s policy in Syria should be adapted to the “development of the situation,” adding that Italy has received support from Austria, Croatia, Greece, the Czech Republic, Slovenia, Cyprus and Slovakia.

However, the US and allied countries in Europe have largely continued to hold firm in their stance against Assad’s government, due to concerns over human rights violations.