Sadiq Al-Ghiryani, the former Grand Mufti of Libya known for his extremist fatwas, launched a call urging Libyans to thank Turkey for its intervention in the country.
Al-Ghiryani is considered one of the most important religious figures and is a staunch supporter of the Turkish government’s policies in Libya.
He said “We should salute the Turkish government and its real efforts to support our cause”. This comes amid the recent visit of Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar and his accompanying military delegation to Libya.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan also commented on the visit, saying that this was proof that Turkey was serious about standing with Tripoli.
Al-Ghiryani called for mass demonstrations in support of Turkey’s intervention and called for the Government of National Accord (GNA) to enhance its cooperation with them.
The former mufti had previously issued a fatwa asking the GNA to grant Ankara priviledged rights over oil and gas exploration operations and prohibiting the purchase of goods from Arab countries, including Egypt.
He also advised that Ankara should establish military bases in Libya and considered this matter to be “Halal religiously and legally”.