In Sign of Escalation, Turkey Resumes Weapons Shipments to Libya

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) with head of Libya’s Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, in Istanbul (AP)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) with head of Libya’s Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, in Istanbul (AP)
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In Sign of Escalation, Turkey Resumes Weapons Shipments to Libya

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) with head of Libya’s Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, in Istanbul (AP)
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan (R) with head of Libya’s Government of National Accord, Fayez al-Sarraj, in Istanbul (AP)

Turkey continues to send military cargo planes loaded with weapons to Libya, less than 24 hours after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met the head of the Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA), Fayez al-Sarraj, in Istanbul.

Itamilradar website, which specializes in monitoring military aircraft, reported that Turkish flights to Libya are ongoing, noting that on Monday morning, a Turkish Air Force Airbus A.400M “Atlas” landed in Misrata from Istanbul. It returned to Turkey after unloading its cargo.

Meanwhile, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that a new batch of about 450 Turkish-backed mercenaries have returned from Libya to Syria, after completing their contracts. Ankara had dispatched them to the North African country to fight alongside the GNA against Libyan National Army (LNA), commanded by Khalifa Haftar.

The mercenaries were transported from Tripoli’s Mitiga airport to Istanbul, and they will be sent to areas under the control of Turkish-backed factions in Syria’s Aleppo countryside.

Turkey has sent 17,420 Syrian mercenaries to Libya, including 350 under the age of 18. Some 2,500 are Tunisian members of terrorist groups, including ISIS and al-Qaeda. Some 6,700 of the mercenaries have since returned to Syria after their contracts ended and they received their financial dues. Turkey, however, is still bringing in more mercenaries to its training camps before sending them to Libya.

During his talks with Sarraj, Erdogan stressed that Turkey’s priority is to ensure stability in Libya by protecting its political unity and territorial integrity.

In a statement from the Turkish presidency said Erdogan called on the international community to assume a "principled stance" in this regard.

It described the Istanbul meeting as fruitful, saying the two parties agreement to develop bilateral relations in order to achieve peace, security and prosperity for the Libyan people.

The Turkish president renewed his support to Libya, stressing that achieving peace and calm in Libya will benefit the whole region, especially neighboring countries and Europe.

The meeting also addressed the steps to protect the rights of Turkey and Libya in the Eastern Mediterranean and terms to strengthen the cooperation under the deal signed between the two countries, according to the statement.

For his part, Sarraj expressed his appreciation for Turkey's support to the GNA, and efforts to ensure the success of the political settlement that will allow the Libyans to return to the constitutional course and hold legislative and presidential elections.



Earthquake Strikes Syria, Rattling Nerves amid Memories of Last Year's Deadly Temblor

People look amid rubble as the search for survivors continues following an earthquake in Hatay, Türkiye, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
People look amid rubble as the search for survivors continues following an earthquake in Hatay, Türkiye, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
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Earthquake Strikes Syria, Rattling Nerves amid Memories of Last Year's Deadly Temblor

People look amid rubble as the search for survivors continues following an earthquake in Hatay, Türkiye, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Umit Bektas
People look amid rubble as the search for survivors continues following an earthquake in Hatay, Türkiye, February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Umit Bektas

An earthquake shook central Syria late Monday, local authorities said, causing no major damages but rattling the nerves of residents who remembered last year’s devastating temblor that struck northern Syria and Türkiye, The AP reported.

Syria’s National Center for Earthquakes said a 5.5 magnitude quake struck 28 kilometers (17 miles) east of the city of Hama at 11:56 p.m. local time. The US Geological Survey put the quake's magnitude at 5.0 and said it had a depth of 10 kilometers.

There were no immediate reports of deaths. Local authorities in Hama and surrounding government-held areas reported no damages, Syria’s state-run news agency SANA said. In the country’s opposition-held northwest, the local civil defense agency known as the White Helmets also said there were no damages.

In Damascus and Beirut — the capital of neighboring Lebanon, where the earthquake was also felt — residents descended to the streets fearing a stronger quake that would collapse buildings. In Lebanon, nerves were already on edge due to fears of an escalation in the ongoing conflict between the militant group Hezbollah and Israeli forces that could pull the country into a full-on war.

On Feb. 6, 2023, a massive 7.8 magnitude earthquake hit Syria and Türkiye, killing more than 59,000 people and worsening the devastation in already war-torn Syria.

Hama Health Director Maher Younes told the Sham FM radio station that 25 people suffered “minor and moderate injuries” as they panicked and attempted to escape the temblor.