The Turkish Defense Ministry announced that the warship TCG Kınalıada carried out a naval exercise off the coast of Benghazi in coordination with patrol boats from the Libyan National Army’s Navy.
The ministry shared images showing the joint training, which included PASSEX and PHOTEX manoeuvres. According to the statement, the Libyan patrol boats TBZ-14 and TBZ-15 took part alongside the Turkish helicopter TCB-59.
The warship had earlier docked at Benghazi port on Wednesday and Thursday, hosting a Turkish delegation led by Ambassador Guven Begec and Ilkay Altındag, Director-General at Turkey’s Ministry of National Defence.
During the visit, the delegation held talks with the Deputy Commander of the Libyan National Army, Field Marshal Saddam Haftar. Discussions focused on potential military and naval cooperation, as well as the exchange of technical and operational expertise.
The exercise marks a rare demonstration of Turkish naval presence in eastern Libya, where Ankara’s influence has historically been limited compared to western regions. Analysts view the move as part of broader efforts by Turkey to expand its defence and diplomatic engagements with both sides of the divided country.
Ambassador Begec highlighted the significance of bilateral cooperation, stressing Ankara’s readiness to strengthen relations with Libyan institutions. For its part, the LNA leadership expressed openness to technical exchanges and enhanced coordination in maritime security.
The visit and exercises come at a time of heightened international focus on Libya’s security landscape, with external actors maintaining active involvement in shaping the country’s military and political trajectories.
