Arab league rejects interference of Turkey’s “extremists” in Libya

LONDON - The Arab League reaffirmed Tuesday its commitment to Libyan unity, rejecting “foreign interference” in the war-torn North African country.

In an emergency meeting attended by permanent representatives in Cairo, the pan-Arab organisation reaffirmed its support to the full implementation of the Skhirat agreement signed in Morocco in December 2015 to resolve the worsening crisis in Libya.

The representatives passed a resolution calling for the necessity to prevent interference that could contribute to facilitating the arrival of foreign extremists in Libya.

They also expressed serious concern over the military escalation further aggravating the situation in Libya and which threatens the security and stability of neighbouring countries and the entire region.

Libyan envoy to the United Nations Ghassan Salame warned on Monday that the agreements signed by Turkey and the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) represented an “escalation” of the conflict in the North African country.

The GNA is supported by the United Nations but is a weak administration headed by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj, who is battling an offensive in Tripoli launched in April by the rival government based in eastern Libya and forces loyal to commander General Khalifa Haftar.

The fighting has threatened to plunge Libya into violence rivaling the 2011 conflict that ousted and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gathafi.

In November, Turkey signed a security and military cooperation agreement and a maritime jurisdiction deal with the GNA, prompting their condemnation by several countries, including Greece and Egypt.

Greece and Cyprus, warned that the maritime agreement violated the European Union law. 

Turkey is seeking to expand its military influence in North Africa and the Middle East, which could set a dangerous precedent in the conflict-marred region, according to experts and analysts.

“Turkey's interest in Libya is not new” expert Barah Mikail, director of Stractegia Consulting and Associate Professor at Saint Louis University in Madrid told Euronews.

“Ankara has sought to develop a policy of influence in the aftermath of the fall of Libya's former ruler Moammar Gathafi in 2011,” Mikail said.

“But with Commander Khalifa Haftar's offensive against Tripoli in April 2019, the Turks found new ways to expand their political and military influence on the ground,” he added.