The Defence and National Security Committee of the Libyan Parliament called on the Turkish government to “distance itself, and not be drawn into the calls for war launched by the Prime Minister of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdel-Hamid Dbaiba.”
In a statement, the committee warned “Dbaiba and his militias” against trying to bring Ankara into the conflict. As well as adding that the response would be “harsh and swift” against them, and the Turks who met with Dbaiba.
The committee also welcomed the closure of Libyan oil fields, describing it as “a step in the right direction.”
“We congratulate the closure of the oil fields, as Dbaiba has spent its revenues on financing militias. Dbaiba has also stopped the salaries of personnel of the Libyan National Army (LNA) who guard these fields and ports.”
“We have agreed that Dbaiba’s actions and recent statements are inciting war and violence,” the statement concluded.
On Wednesday, the global air traffic website, Flightradar24 tracked a Turkish military Lockheed C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft, arriving at the Al-Watiya airbase from Ankara.
Turkey continues to send military aircraft to Libya, with more than ten planes landing at the Uqba bin Nafi Airbase in the Watiya region, western Libya.
The planes are believed to be transporting military supplies, despite the fact that the UN-brokered ceasefire agreement stipulates that all military cooperation with foreign nations must be halted.
In May, Turkish Defense Minister, Hulusi Akar stated that the Turkish soldiers and Syrian mercenaries in Libya would remain to preserve Ankara’s interests.
The UN estimates there are over 20,000 foreign fighters and mercenaries in Libya, helping both sides of the conflict.
In April 2019, the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Khalifa Haftar launched an offensive on Tripoli. The previous Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) requested help from Turkey in November 2019, to avert an LNA takeover. Ankara soon began to airlift thousands of Syrian mercenaries, and an array of weapons to support the GNA.
The ceasefire agreement also demands the withdrawal of all mercenaries and foreign fighters from the country. A number of Libyan politicians have called for the closure of airspace to Turkish aviation.
Notably, a professor of political science at Omar Al-Mukhtar Al-Libi University, Yusef Al-Farsi said that the Turkish air bridge to western Libya was impeding international efforts to end the Libyan crisis peacefully.