Turkish Defense Minister, Hulusi Akar, implicitly responded to the request of the Libyan 5+5 Joint Military committee (JMC) to freeze military agreements and memoranda of understanding, with Ankara and Moscow, considering that “Turkish military forces in Libya are not foreign.”
Akar’s statements came during a meeting with Chief of Staff of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Mohammed al-Haddad, and Azerbaijani Defense Minister, General Zakir Hasanov, in Istanbul on Tuesday, on the sidelines of the 15th International Defense Industry Exhibition, which was inaugurated by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
According to the Turkish Ministry of Defense, “Akar discussed with al-Haddad the regional and security issues between the two countries,” and assured him that “Turkey is not a foreign power in Libya,” private Turkey News Agency reported on Wednesday.
it is noteworthy that 5+5 JMC had agreed on an “emergency plan” for the withdrawal of mercenaries and foreign forces. It also made an official request to the Government of National Unity and the Presidential Council to “freeze military agreements and memorandums of understanding with any country as stipulated in the ceasefire agreement signed in Geneva”.
Members of 5+5 JMC met on Monday with Turkish officers whom are currently based in Mitiga military base in Tripoli, according to local press report.
Citing an “informed source”, Libyan TV channel 218 said that the committee members arrived to the base in armored cars at 12 P.M on Monday, reportedly to discuss Turkish forces exit from Libya.
A number of Libyan political parties have released a joint statement on Tuesday, in which they expressed their support for the 5+5 JMC and its demand to freeze all military deals with foreign countries.