Libya HoR Speaker accuses Turkey of supporting terrorism in Benghazi

BY Libyan Express Feb 13, 2018 - 12:49

HoR Speaker Aquilah Saleh (Photo: Archive)

The speaker of Libya’s eastern parliament accused Turkey of supporting what he called terrorists who bombed a mosque in the eastern city of Benghazi last month and killed about 35 people, the Russian Sputnik reported.

“Terrorist organisations are behind this, unfortunately with support of foreign countries, with Turkey’s support,” it quoted Aguila Saleh Issa, the speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives as saying.

The House of Representatives was set up in 2014 and is based in the eastern city of Tobruk, near the Egyptian border, in opposition to the internationally recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in the capital Tripoli.

Egypt backs the House of Representatives as part of its drive against what it sees as the influence of Muslim Brotherhood Islamists in the region.

Meanwhile, Turkey and its ally Qatar are accused of supporting Islamist factions in western Libya and armed groups fighting the forces of anti-Islamist strongman General Khalifa Haftar around the eastern city of Benghazi.

In the first week of January, Greek Coastguard said that they seized a Libya-bound ship carrying explosives from Turkey.

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