On Sunday, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that he would not rule out the possibility of signing a deal with the Taliban, similarly to the one signed with Libya’s previous Government of National Accord (GNA).
In November 2019, alongside a military agreement that formalised Ankara’s supply and deployment of weaponry, including drones, Turkey also signed an agreement with the GNA delineating the maritime boundaries between the two countries. This triggered a wave of international protest that included the US, the EU, Russia, Israel, and the Arab League, accusing them of violating the International Law of the Sea, and disregarding the rights of other eastern Mediterranean countries.
“I cannot say that we cannot conclude an agreement with the Taliban similar to the one we signed with Libya. We only need to find a decent partner for talks. If we find such a negotiator, why not sign such a deal? The main thing for us is to solve the problem,” President Erdogan told reporters.
On Friday, President Erdogan stated that Turkey’s military contingent had been withdrawn from Afghanistan in full. The Taliban announced on Tuesday that they were interested in building good relations with Ankara, but did not want Turkish soldiers present in Afghanistan, with Taliban Spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid refuting reports suggesting that the movement had agreed to delegate the security of Kabul airport to Turkey.