Days after truce agreement, Erdogan accuses Haftar of attacking 'with all his resources'

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Libya’s eastern military commander Khalifa Haftar is continuing attacks ‘with all his resources’ even after the ceasefire agreement. Erdogan, an ally of Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA), accused Haftar of betraying the superiors in the past and added that it is not possible to expect mercy and understanding from someone like him.

Turkey has backed the UN-recognised government led by Prime Minister Fayez Sarraj and even signed a military accord recently. Speaking at Ataturk airport ahead of a visit to Algeria, Erdogan reportedly said that international support for Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA) is ‘spoiling’ the military leader.

Political crisis in Libya

Libyan has been facing a political and humanitarian crisis after the self-styled Libyan National Army, headed by Khalifa Haftar, launched a battle against the Tripoli’s U.N.-recognised government. Thousands of Tripoli residents have been displaced due to the shelling that started earlier this year targeting the outskirts of the Libyan capital. But both parties came to a truce agreement on January 12 which remarked reduction of hostilities in Tripoli, providing a much-needed respite to civilians.

Read: Erdogan Demands Stand Against 'blood And Chaos' In Libya

However, the United Nations said that several countries have continued providing advanced weapons, armoured vehicles, violating the arms embargo agreed during an international conference in Berlin. The United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), in a statement, expressed regret for the “continued blatant violations” of the arms embargo committed during the conference on January 19.

“Over the last ten days, numerous cargo and other flights have been observed landing at Libyan airports in the western and eastern parts of the country providing the parties with advanced weapons, armoured vehicles, advisers and fighters,” said UNSMIL.

Read: Turkey’s Erdogan: Europe Must Back Libyan Govt In Tripoli

In November, Ghassan Salamé, Special Representative of the Secretary-General and Head of the UNSMIL told the Security Council that arms embargo is being breached by vested interests to support different groups in the country and are shipping war materials continuously. He informed that drone technologies have been used in support of the Libyan National Army which led to more than 800 strikes.

Read: UN Calls Out Violation Of Arms Embargo Agreed By Several Countries At Libya Summit

Read: Libya Says Oil Shutdown Has Caused Over $255 Million Losses

(With inputs from agencies)