Analysis: Erdogan Contradicts Self in Libya

As the Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan pretends that there is no solution but political in Libya, his own practices tell another thing.

Erdogan always pretends that there is no way but establishing a political solution in Libya. Obviously, however, he is contradicting himself  by practices that have further complicated the Libyan crisis and are threatening to transform the situation in Libya similar to Syria.

Ankara is directly involved in complicating the Syrian crisis, by facilitating the entry of fighters into it in past years, especially from Libya. This is confirmed by several sources, especially Turkish intelligence reports.

By his insistence not to stop sending foreign fighters to Libya, Erdogan is violating the Security Council resolution that prohibits sending weapons to Libya as well as the outputs of the Berlin conference, and insists on military intervention there.

Erdogan justifies his intervention with an internationally denounced  agreement with the government of Al-Wefaq in Tripoli, led by Fayez Al-Sarraj.

In late November, Erdogan and Al-Sarraj, signed two memoranda, one of which related to the demarcation of the maritime borders between the two countries and the other tackles security cooperation and involves Ankara to send troops to Libya.

In accordance with the illegal MOU, Turkey sent hundreds of hired foreign fighters from Syria to fight in Libya, a move that many affirm is not only dangerous for Libya and the prospects for a ceasefire and political solution there, but for the whole region, given the Syrian experience.

Earlier, the Libyan National Army spokesman, Ahmed Al-Mesmari, confirmed that Turkey continues to transfer terrorists from Syria to fight in Libya in an accelerated manner.

Recent media reports quoted an armed man from Syria who confirmed that the leaders of a faction loyal to Ankara in the Syrian province of Afrin are the ones who lead the recruitment of fighters. He said that he personally is paid one hundred dollars for the fighting in Syria, while he gets two thousand in Tripoli, this makes moving to Tripoli the best option for him, as he put it.

On the other hand, the Libyan National Army continued its field successes, as military sources said that the army forces took control of two towns east of the strategic city of Misrata.

The same sources stated that the Libyan National Army continued to advance towards the Abu Qurain area, amid clashes with militants supporting Al-Sarraj government in Tripoli.

Libyan National Army Commander Khalifa Hifter sought to open a new front by moving his forces towards the Misrata city, which is allied to the Al-Sarraj government.