Libyan interior minister says will ask for Turkish support if Tripoli war escalates

Record ID: 1450318

  • Title: Libyan interior minister says will ask for Turkish support if Tripoli war escalates
  • Date: 26th December 2019
  • Summary: TUNIS, TUNISIA (DECEMBER 26, 2019) (REUTERS) TUNISIAN AND LIBYAN FLAGS TRIPOLI-BASED LIBYAN INTERIOR MINISTER, FATHI BASHAGHA, WALKING TO PODIUM / PHOTOGRAPHERS GATHERING BASHAGHA DURING PRESS CONFERENCE AUDIENCE STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TRIPOLI-BASED LIBYAN INTERIOR MINISTER, FATHI BASHAGHA, SAYING: "We will fight for a just cause, and we say what Omar al-Mokhtar said: 'We win or we die'. We welcome whoever wants democracy, rule of law, accountability, transparency and peaceful transition of power and we extend our hands to them whoever they are. But, we will fight those who want to enslave people with force and oppression and wants control for himself and his family until the last drop of blood. We will fight him and defeat him." JOURNALISTS IN AUDIENCE BASHAGHA DURING PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TRIPOLI-BASED LIBYAN INTERIOR MINISTER, FATHI BASHAGHA, SAYING: "The Government of National Accord signed a memorandum of understanding with the Turkish government based on a request by the earlier. We believe that there will be a lot of cooperation with Turkey, Tunisia, and Algeria, and we will be in one alliance in a way that serves our people and the stability of our security, as well as the economy which is the source of concern for all of us. Economic cooperation needs a stability in security as well as political stability." TAJOURA, LIBYA (DECEMBER 25, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SMOKE RISING FROM BEHIND BUILDINGS AFTER AIRSTRIKE / CARS PASSING BY TUNIS, TUNISIA (DECEMBER 26, 2019) (REUTERS) (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TRIPOLI-BASED LIBYAN INTERIOR MINISTER, FATHI BASHAGHA, SAYING: "God willing the alliance and cooperation between us, Turkey, Tunisia and Algeria, will be the support for this stability." BASHAGHA DURING PRESS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) TRIPOLI-BASED LIBYAN INTERIOR MINISTER, FATHI BASHAGHA, SAYING: "About Berlin conference, we think that Berlin's conference…we waited for Berlin conference just like we waited for (inaudible) conference, but we believe that it is difficult to happen on reality, because there is someone called Haftar who will reject any conference. He does not accept (any resolutions)." TRIPOLI, LIBYA (DECEMBER 26, 2019) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF WOMAN WALKING IN MARKET VARIOUS OF AFRICAN MIGRANTS STANDING BY TRUCK
  • Embargoed: 9th January 2020 15:04
  • Keywords: Egypt GNA Haftar LNA Libya Libya unrest Turkey
  • Location: TUNIS, TUNISIA / TRIPOLI AND TAJOURA, LIBYA
  • City: TUNIS, TUNISIA / TRIPOLI AND TAJOURA, LIBYA
  • Country: Libya
  • Topics: Conflicts/War/Peace
  • Reuters ID: LVA001BBM4CW7
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: Libya's internationally recognised government will officially request military support from Turkey if the war over the capital escalates, Tripoli-based Libyan Interior Minister, Fathi Bashagha, said on Thursday (December 26).
    Eastern forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar have been trying to take Tripoli since April.
    Earlier on Thursday, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara would send troops to Libya as soon as next month as it had received a request from Tripoli.
    "If the situation escalates then we have the right to defend Tripoli and its residents," Fathi Bashagha told reporters in Tunis.
    For weeks Ankara has flagged the possibility of a military mission in Libya, which would further stretch its armed forces less than three months after it launched an incursion into northeastern Syria against a Kurdish militia.
    Turkey has already sent military supplies to the GNA despite a United Nations arms embargo, according to a U.N. report seen by Reuters last month.
    Erdogan visited Tunisia on Wednesday (December 25) to discuss cooperation for a possible ceasefire in neighbouring Libya. On Thursday, he said Turkey and Tunisia had agreed to support the GNA.
    (Production: Jihed Abdellaoui, Ayman Sahely, Mai Shams El-Din, Chiara Rodriquez)
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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