Libya’s Haftar makes ‘call to arms’ over possible Turkey intervention

Libya’s military strongman Khalifa Haftar has called on all Libyans to take up arms in response to a prospective military intervention from Turkey aimed at shoring up the UN-backed government in Tripoli.

The beleaguered Tripoli government, headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, has been under sustained attack since April by Haftar, who heads a rival administration in the east backed by Turkey’s regional rivals—Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

Turkey’s parliament on Thursday approved the deployment of troops to Libya after it received a request for military support from Sarraj’s elected government.

“We accept the challenge and declare jihad and a call to arms,” said Haftar in a televised address on Friday.

He urged “all Libyans” to bear arms, “men and women, soldiers and civilians, to defend our land and our honour”.

He said it was no longer a question of liberating Tripoli from the militias, but of “facing a coloniser”, accusing Ankara of wanting to “regain control of Libya”, a former province of the Ottoman Empire.

Libya has been beset by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011.

Meanwhile, African Union chief Moussa Faki Mahamat has expressed his grave concern over potential “interference” in Libya, after Turkey approved the deployment of troops to the conflict-torn North African nation.

 

Libyas Haftar makes call to arms over possible Turkey intervention

Libyas military strongman Khalifa Haftar has called on all Libyans to take up arms in response to a prospective military intervention from Turkey aimed at shoring up the UN-backed government in Tripoli. The beleaguered Tripoli government, headed by Fayez al-Sarraj, has been under sustained attack since April by Haftar, who heads a rival administration in the east backed by Turkeys regional rivalsSaudi Arabia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Turkeys parliament on Thursday approved the deployment of troops to Libya after it received a request for military support from Sarrajs elected government. We accept the challenge and declare jihad and a call to arms, said Haftar in a televised address on Friday. He urged all Libyans to bear arms, men and women, soldiers and civilians, to defend our land and our honour. He said it was no longer a question of liberating Tripoli from the militias, but of facing a coloniser, accusing Ankara of wanting to regain control of Libya, a former province of the Ottoman Empire. Libya has been beset by chaos since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed dictator Moamer Kadhafi in 2011. Meanwhile, African Union chief Moussa Faki Mahamat has expressed his grave concern over potential interference in Libya, after Turkey approved the deployment of troops to the conflict-torn North African nation.