The spokesman for the Libyan National Army (LNA), Maj. Gen. Ahmed Al-Mismari,
claimed that Turkey’s intervention in Libya threatened the entire Arab region.
He also alleged that in early 2019, the Prime Minister of Libya’s Government of National Accord
(GNA) Fayez Al-Sarraj issued orders to the Central Bank of Libya to disburse 2.4 billion
Libyan dinar (LYD) to armed groups in western Libya.
The money was allegedly transported in armoured vehicles and distributed to various armed groups. Speaking to ‘ON TV’ channel, Al-Mismari said that while Libya was suffering from a lack of financial liquidity in banks, “about 12 billion LYD were spent by Al-Sarraj on the militias.”
Addressing the issue of Libyan oil revenues, he said “we do not control oil and no army is allowed to enter Libyan facilities, the Libyan National Army only protects these facilities”.
Al-Mismari claimed that the GNA is marginalized and that western Libya is controlled by the local branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in coordination with Turkey.
Ankara is believed to have transported into Libya almost 17,000 Syrian mercenaries, as well as heavy arms, armored vehicles, and deploying marine vessels off the coasts of western Libya.
Al-Mismari accused the GNA of treason and of working against Libya’s interest, stressing that the LNA was fighting for peace in Libya. He also asserted that Turkey was eyeing Libya’s oil resources and claimed that was why Ankara was set on targeting Sirte and Al-Jufrah in central Libya, as they are the main gateway to the oil fields and facilities.
Oil-rich Libya has been marred in chaos since the ouster and killing of Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. It now has two rival authorities and a multitude of militias vying for control of the country. The GNA is based in Tripoli, while a parallel administration is based in the east and is supported by the LNA.