Libya’s High Council of State deplores Haftar’s threats to “strategic partner” Turkey

Libya’s High Council of State (HCS) has deplored the threats made by Khalifa Haftar to Turkish nationals working in Libya.

HCS said in a statement on Saturday that the threats by the spokesman for Khalifa Haftar’s forces toward Turkey is a “declaration of war” on Ankara.

“These threats are a blow to relations with a country that cooperates with Libya in many areas and constitutes a large part of the country’s total imports.” The HCS added.

It indicated that any attack on our friends, especially the Turks, will be regarded as harming our national security and will be resisted.

The HCS also asked the UN to take measures to deter Haftar’s forces.

“We will go on with our relations with Turkey within the framework of bilateral agreements.” The HCS explained.

Likewise, the Libyan Presidential Council of the Government of National Accord (GNA) has issued a statement condemning the threats against Turkey and Turkish interests and nationals inside Libya by the spokesman for Khalifa Haftar’s forces Ahmed Al-Mismari.

The Saturday statement said Haftar’s forces will be fully accountable for any attacks or violations against any foreign person living or working in Libya.

The statement indicated that Libya and it’s people don’t agree with such a hate speech uttered by Haftar’s spokesman, who ignited hatred and pushed for killing of Turkish nationals based on their identities.

Meanwhile, the Libyan Interior Ministry also issued Saturday a statement denying presence of any military officers from Turkey on Libyan soil within the control of GNA.

On Friday, the spokesman for Khalifa Haftar’s forces in eastern Libya, Ahmed Al-Mismari, said his commander (Haftar) announced a ban on any commercial flights from Libya to Turkey and will prevent any Turkish ships from docking in the country.

Al-Mismari said in a weekly presser that any aircraft arriving from Turkey attempting to land in the capital Tripoli would be treated as hostile, adding that the same would apply to Turkish ships docking at Libyan ports.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on the sidelines of Japan-hotsed G20 Summit that if Haftar’s threats against Turkish interests and nationals were true, Turkey would take a different approach to dealing with the Libyan situation.