MORE INFORMATION
Turkey’s Parliament approves sending troops to libya Libya, the new battlefield between Turkey and Russia Hafter, the powerful lord of war that besieges Tripoli
The high representative of Foreign Policy of the European Union (EU), Josep Borrell, and the Foreign ministers of Germany, France, the Uk and Italy, they have agreed on Tuesday a joint statement calling for an end to the interference of third countries in the military conflict in Libya. “The continuing outside interference is fueling the crisis,” says a text that, according to Borrell at a press conference, “is a clear reference to the decision of Turkey to intervene with their troops in Libya”.
The declaration was agreed during a meeting convened urgently in Brussels between Borrell and the four ministers, after the continuous outpourings of the armed conflict in the north african country appears. The instability in Libya directly affects the European Union, being one of the points of departure for irregular immigration arriving on european shores. In addition, France and Italy held positions disparate, given that Rome supports the Government of Tripoli recognized internationally and Paris to the forces of general Khalifa Hafter which controls the east of the country and tries to take over the entire territory.
Germany drives from the last year, a year of mediation, known as the Process of Berlin, which seeks to put an end to the violence. But with little success so far. The escalation of the conflict has even prevented Borrell and the four ministers to shift to Libya, where they thought to have held the meeting this Tuesday and come in contact with the two sides of the conflict. “I hope that in the coming days we may have contacts that have not been possible in Libya today,” said Borrell, the Monday, was expected to have taken in Rome a flight to that country. “Given the security situation, we strongly recommended that not viajásemos there,” he acknowledged Borrell.
The event was held finally in the capital community, with the presence of the british minister. An invitation, which according to sources in the European External Action Service, symbolizes the willingness of the EU to continue to work closely with the United Kingdom in the field of foreign policy once it is consumed the Brexit (scheduled for January 31).
diplomatic Efforts
For its part, the Government of Tripoli multiplied its diplomatic efforts and military to halt the onslaught of general Hafter. The taking of Sirte on Monday, it has been a hard blow for Tripoli in the war that began last April 4, when Hafter tried to take the capital of libya with 300 armored.
Sirte is located just one hour away by car from Misrata, the second largest city in Libya, the headquarters of powerful guerrillas holding the National Unity Government in Tripoli. That is to say, right now the militias of Misrata have to divide their efforts to protect the capital of the country, which remains besieged by Hafter, and the city of Misrata.
The National Unity Government in Tripoli tried to launch a counter-offensive on Monday to recover positions in Sirte. But, for the moment, the city where he was born and died Muammar el-Qaddafi, continues in the hands of Hafter. This marshal, who in his day was a loyal friend of Gadhafi and then his sworn enemy, has from weeks ago with the help of hundreds of mercenaries from russia. A presence that the Kremlin denies it officially, but the UN has confirmed. Since the arrival of the russians the war has been tilted in favour of Hafter.
In this scenario, the Government of National Unity appealed to the military aid of Turkey, which is already supplying weapons to Tripoli since 2011. Various sources contend that since several weeks ago, operating in Libya, mercenaries, syrians, sent by Turkey, although there is no official confirmation about his presence. In any case, the Turkish Parliament approved this week the dispatch of troops to Libya.
The analyst Emadeddin Badi said Tuesday on Twitter: “If Turkey sends to the mercenary syrians to retake Sirte alongside the factions from Misrata (if the people of Misrata agree with that), this will give us an idea of the scope of the military adventure of Ankara in Libya”.
For its part, the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, is scheduled to travel Wednesday to Istanbul to talk with his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan on the situation in Libya. In the absence of the European Union and the united States, Putin and Erdogan have become key elements in the conflict that has been brewing a few kilometres from the shores of europe.
