Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Wednesday that as a result of Turkish intervention in Libya "the balance in Libya changed significantly" in favor of Fayez al-Sarraj Government of National Accord.
The recent developments in Libya resulted from Turkish training and advice, according to Hulusi, knowing that the GNA forces announced regaining control of Al-Watiya airbase, in the west of the country.
In the previous period, Turkey supported Sarraj's government and its militias against the Libyan National Army. It also conducted an aerial and maritime campaign to transport arms, including anti-missile defense and qualitative weapons, in pursuit to expedite the militias’ seizure of LNA regions in the west of Libya.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan admitted, earlier, transferring armed men from pro-Ankara Syrian factions to Libya.
The Syrian Observatory reported that Turkey has recruited nearly 10,000 militants to fight in Tripoli. Also, six Turkish military cargo aircraft traveled from Turkey to South Africa with a small amount of medical supplies on board.
In the same context, Libya's Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha noted that Turkey exerted efforts to support the government. His statement was made following a meeting with Turkey's Ambassador to Tripoli Serhat Aksen Tuesday. They discussed field updates in the west of Libya.
Also, theTurkish Defense Ministry announced conducting a joint Turkish-Italian maritime maneuver in Eastern Mediterranean last Sunday. The exercise coincided with the updates at Al-Watiya airbase.
