Ankara Condemns 'Desecration' of Turkish Flag in Libya

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu with his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Manqush in Tripoli last May. (AFP)
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu with his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Manqush in Tripoli last May. (AFP)
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Ankara Condemns 'Desecration' of Turkish Flag in Libya

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu with his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Manqush in Tripoli last May. (AFP)
Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu with his Libyan counterpart Najla al-Manqush in Tripoli last May. (AFP)

Ankara strongly condemned an attack on the Turkish flag outside the temporary headquarters of the House of Representatives in Tobruk, east of Libya.

"We strongly condemn the ugly action against our flag in front of the temporary building of the House of Representatives during the budget negotiations held on July 5, 2021, in Tobruk, Libya," Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tanju Bilgic said in a statement.

Belgic indicated that immediately after learning of the "heinous act," the Turkish embassy in Tripoli made the necessary written and verbal initiatives before the Libyan Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The embassy demanded that necessary measures be taken to prevent such provocations and to prevent similar incidents from recurring.

He noted that the act intended to target the Turkish-Libyan friendship, adding that the attack on the Turkish flag, "which represents our independence and sacred values, will never achieve its goal," he said.

The necessary response will come from "the friendly and brotherly Libyan people before anyone else," asserted Bilgic.

In an act of provocation on Monday, Haftar supporters set down Turkish flags on a road that Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah's convoy was supposed to use during his visit to Tobruk. They stepped on the flag in a message that they rejected the Turkish presence in their country.

Meanwhile, the Libyan Foreign Ministry stressed the importance of implementing the agreements signed with Turkey regarding the country's reconstruction.

The statement came following a meeting between the Undersecretary of the Foreign Ministry for Political Affairs, Mohammed Issa, and the Turkish Ambassador to Libya, Kenan Yilmaz, in Tripoli on Tuesday.

Issa noted that the return and the resumption of operations of Turkish companies would "significantly contribute to Libya's reconstruction."

Yilmaz affirmed his country's desire to enhance cooperation relations with Libya and work with its government in various fields.

On April 12, Tripoli and Ankara concluded five memoranda of understanding and cooperation protocols in various fields during the meeting of the Strategic Cooperation Council in Ankara.



Taiwan Conducts Missile Drills at Sensitive Test Site 

A standard missile fires off a Patriot PAC-2 surface-to-air missile system during a military drill in Pingtung, Taiwan August 20, 2024. (Reuters TV via Reuters)
A standard missile fires off a Patriot PAC-2 surface-to-air missile system during a military drill in Pingtung, Taiwan August 20, 2024. (Reuters TV via Reuters)
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Taiwan Conducts Missile Drills at Sensitive Test Site 

A standard missile fires off a Patriot PAC-2 surface-to-air missile system during a military drill in Pingtung, Taiwan August 20, 2024. (Reuters TV via Reuters)
A standard missile fires off a Patriot PAC-2 surface-to-air missile system during a military drill in Pingtung, Taiwan August 20, 2024. (Reuters TV via Reuters)

Taiwan conducted missile drills simulating the interception of enemy fighters and munitions at a sensitive test site Tuesday, as the island seeks to step up "combat effectiveness" against an increasingly assertive China.

Beijing claims self-ruled Taiwan as part of its territory and has stepped up military pressure by sending drones, fighter jets and naval vessels around the island.

Taiwan has steadily built up its defense capabilities in recent years, making big-ticket weapons purchases while increasing its defense budget to invest in military reforms and a homegrown arsenal.

It was the first time in over a decade that reporters were granted access to the base, home to the government-run National Chung-Shan Institute of Science and Technology, which specializes in weapons development.

"All the missiles fired today hit their targets smoothly. So it demonstrates... that the training of our officers and soldiers is very solid," defense ministry spokesman Sun Li-fang told reporters.

At dawn, soldiers fired the two types of missiles into the sky as RIM-66 Standard missiles were fired from a frigate off the coast.

Colonel Kao Shu-li of the Air Force's air defense division said the exercise's main goal was to enhance "the overall combat effectiveness of the force".

"We have the ability, confidence, and determination to defend our country, to defend our airspace," added Lieutenant Cheng Yong-ru, who led a battalion in the live-fire mission.

Separately Tuesday, Taiwan's defense ministry reported five Chinese aircraft and 11 naval vessels around the island in a 24-hour window ending at 6 am (2200 GMT Monday).