White House says Donald Trump has discussed Syrian and Libya with Erdogan

US President Donald Trump has discussed developments in Syria and Libya with Turkish President Erdogan over a phone call on Monday, a White House spokesman said on Twitter. This comes two days after Erdogan accused Haftar of attacking 'with all his resources.' 

Read: Days After Truce Agreement, Erdogan Accuses Haftar Of Attacking 'with All His Resources'

Need to eliminate foreign interference

Judd Deere, a White House spokesman said the two leaders discussed the need to eliminate foreign interference and maintain the ceasefire in Libya. The leaders also agreed that looking at the violence being carried out in Idlib, Syria must stop, international media reported.

A renewed drive of the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to capture the rebel-held Idlib province in Syria’s northwest sparked a fresh exodus of many thousand Syrian civilians towards the Turkey border on Monday.

Read: Erdogan: Libya 'chaos' Threatens Whole Region

On the other hand, Libya’s military commander Khalifa Haftar moved forces on Sunday towards the city of Misrata, the city allied to the country internationally recognised government, officials and residents revealed. The increase in fighting came a week after Turkey, UAE, Egypt and Russia agreed with western powers in Berlin to push for ending ceasefire and upholding an arms embargo.

Read: Putin And Erdogan Comment During Talks In Berlin

Meanwhile, 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.

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.

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(With inputs from agencies)