Libya's GNA denies claims of Syrian opposition support
Libya's U.N.-backed government on Sunday denied claims Turkish-backed Syrian National Army (SNA) forces were fighting alongside its own forces in battles around the capital Tripoli.
The denial comes after a video went viral showing a group of fighters speaking in a Syrian dialect, claiming to have captured a military camp from loyalists of self-proclaimed military leader Khalifa Haftar.
"Circulating such recordings is a desperate attempt to distort our forces' victories," the Government of National Accord's (GNA) media office said.
Haftar's forces have been pursuing an offensive since April to seize Tripoli from the GNA.
Earlier this week, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Turkey would send troops to Libya at the request of the GNA, which last month signed a controversial security cooperation pact with Ankara.
The step has stoked fears that Libya's years-long feud could evolve into a regional conflict.
On Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, reported that at least 300 Syrian opposition forces allied with Turkey had already arrived in the Libyan capital.
Those fighters are allegedly gathering in a GNA camp on the volatile southern outskirts of Tripoli, according to the Britain-based watchdog that reports about Syria's civil war.
The SNA, a Turkish-backed Syrian opposition group, meanwhile denied it had sent forces to Libya.
"Our priority is to protect our people from militias of the (Assad) regime and its supporters," the SNA said in an online statement.
Turkey supports the U.N.-backed government against the militia and mercenaries of self-proclaimed military leader Haftar. Tripoli-based GNA Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj sent letters to the leaders of the U.S., Britain, Italy, Algeria and Turkey, urging them to "activate security cooperation deals."
Since the ousting and death of the longtime dictator, Muammar Gadhafi, in 2011, two seats of power have emerged in Libya. Turkey, Qatar and Italy have been allied with Sarraj's government based in Tripoli, while Haftar, who commands forces based in eastern Libya, is backed by France, Russia and key Arab countries, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.
The denial comes after a video went viral showing a group of fighters speaking in a Syrian dialect, claiming to have captured a military camp from loyalists of self-proclaimed military leader Khalifa Haftar.
"Circulating such recordings is a desperate attempt to distort our forces' victories," the Government of National Accord's (GNA) media office said.
Haftar's forces have been pursuing an offensive since April to seize Tripoli from the GNA.
Earlier this week, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said Turkey would send troops to Libya at the request of the GNA, which last month signed a controversial security cooperation pact with Ankara.
The step has stoked fears that Libya's years-long feud could evolve into a regional conflict.
On Sunday, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a war monitor, reported that at least 300 Syrian opposition forces allied with Turkey had already arrived in the Libyan capital.
Those fighters are allegedly gathering in a GNA camp on the volatile southern outskirts of Tripoli, according to the Britain-based watchdog that reports about Syria's civil war.
The SNA, a Turkish-backed Syrian opposition group, meanwhile denied it had sent forces to Libya.
"Our priority is to protect our people from militias of the (Assad) regime and its supporters," the SNA said in an online statement.
Turkey supports the U.N.-backed government against the militia and mercenaries of self-proclaimed military leader Haftar. Tripoli-based GNA Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj sent letters to the leaders of the U.S., Britain, Italy, Algeria and Turkey, urging them to "activate security cooperation deals."
Since the ousting and death of the longtime dictator, Muammar Gadhafi, in 2011, two seats of power have emerged in Libya. Turkey, Qatar and Italy have been allied with Sarraj's government based in Tripoli, while Haftar, who commands forces based in eastern Libya, is backed by France, Russia and key Arab countries, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Saudi Arabia.
Last Update: December 29, 2019 22:19