Turkey, NATO, and US officials held a tripartite meeting on Tuesday to discuss the recent developments in Libya.
The Turkish Defense Ministry revealed in a statement on Twitter that Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar met with Allied Joint Force Command Naples. Adm. Robert Burke, and US Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs David Satterfield in the presence of Commander of Naval Forces Admiral Adnan Ozbal in Istanbul.
According to media reports, the three-hour meeting focused on Turkey’s military role in Libya under the support of NATO and the US.
The officials also discussed transferring part of Misrata Port to a logistics base under the Turkish Naval Forces' supervision, with symbolic participation of the US, Germany, and Italy.
They further touched on expanding the Turkish military training of the Libyan forces.
Previous reports claimed that Turkey and the US agreed to allow Ankara to deploy aerial surveillance drones, in coordination with NATO, to monitor any military movements, namely by the Russian Wagner group.
The deal further states that Turkey shall withdraw its Syrian mercenaries from Libya within four weeks, as of the beginning of April. Turkey has not shown any commitment in this regard so far.
Reports also revealed that Washington didn’t express objection to the presence of military advisors and Turkish forces in Libya.
