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Libya–Turkey relations

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Libyan–Turkish relations
Map indicating locations of Libya and Turkey

Libya
Turkey
Diplomatic mission
Embassy of Libya, AnkaraEmbassy of Turkey, Tripoli

Libyan-Turkish relations are the foreign relations between Libya and Turkey. While this relationship cannot currently be attributed to one government in Libya, generally speaking it is a contested relationship between Turkey and the pro-Turkish Government of National Accord. Libya has a functional embassy in Ankara and a consulate-general in Istanbul, while Turkey has an embassy in Tripoli. Turkey currently occupies bases in Libya with Al-Watiya Air Base being a major airbase in the west, and Port of Misrata being most notable naval base acquired but contested during the 2020 Turkish military intervention in the Second Libyan Civil War.

History

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Main articles: Ottoman Tripolitania and Karamanli dynasty

The Ottoman Empire conquered the coastal areas of Libya during the mid-16th century and had made a great impact on the society of Libya. By then known as Tripolitania under the Ottomans, the province enjoyed a degree of autonomy, though unstable and varied.[1]

In the 18th century, Ahmed Karamanli founded the semi-independence Karamanli dynasty, which ruled Libya and still acknowledged Ottoman control. Under his reign, Libya was one of the most prosperous parts of the empire with strong Libyan characteristics, but due to his defiance to the Turks, it drew hostility indirectly from the Ottomans.[2] His successors, however, were not as successful as Ahmed, and the dynasty would immediately collapse in late 18th century, and the Barbary Wars launched by the United States only ensured the complete collapse of Karamanli authority.[3] By then, until the Italian conquest, Ottoman rule in Libya was secured, but it was neglected from the mainland due to its lack of development. Nonetheless, wary of Italian aggression, Sultan Abdulhamid II sent his aide-de-camp Azmzade Sadik Al Mouayad to meet with Sheikh Mohamed Al Mahdi Al Senusi once in 1887 and again in 1895. Sadik Pasha's diary of his mission to Libya was published in 1897 (For a translation see Azmzade, Senusi, Osmansoy, Gokkent, Journey in the Grand Sahara of Africa and Through Time, 2021)

After the Italo-Turkish War (1911–1912), Turkey and Libya lost formal connection as the Kingdom of Italy conquered Libya. It was not until 1947 when the two nations rebuild their links.

20th century to 2011

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With the Kingdom of Libya established, Turkey and Libya have really cordial relations, with both being part of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.

In 1969, a bloodless coup occurred in Libya while King Idris was in Ankara for medical treatment. Subsequently, King Idris condemned the coup, but lacked authority to be against it.[4] Eventually, the Libyan King had to live in exile until 1983 when he died in Cairo.[5]

Since the fall of Senussi dynasty, Turco-Libyan relations were driven between cooperations and hostilities. Despite Muammar Gaddafi providing Turkey with spare parts to its US-made aircraft during the Turkish invasion of Cyprus, as a U.S. arms embargo was imposed on Turkey,[6] and preferred buying Turkish stuffs, he had also created controversies, accusing Turkey for the Kurdish question, and provoked Turkey by supporting Kurdish independence.[7] This was reconfirmed in 2011 by Jawad Mella, the President of Kurdish National Congress in exile.[8] Turkey participated in the 2011 military intervention in Libya.

Libyan conflict

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Main articles: Libyan Civil War (2011), Libyan Civil War (2014–present), Turkish military intervention in the Second Libyan Civil War, and Libya–Turkey maritime deal

Although Turkey opposed and accused "Sarkozy of pursuing French interests over liberation of Libyan people"[9] and on March 20 it took an observant position.[10] Turkey in 2011 was also among the first to immediately cut ties with Gaddafi's Libya, demanding Gaddafi quit the Government and Turkey would offer him exile.[11] Gaddafi refused to do so and Turkey threw its support behind anti-Gaddafi forces, notably the National Transitional Council in July 2011.[12]

With the outbreak of the second Libyan Civil War, Turkey remains supportive of the UN-recognized Government of National Accord in Tripoli, against Haftar-based House of Representatives in Tobruk. Haftar's vehement anti-Turkish stance had contributed to ongoing hostility between Turkey and Tobruk Government,[13] as well as Turkey has transported weapons and ammunitions to the government in Tripoli.[14]

Turkey's Vice President, Fuat Oktay, accused indirectly Haftar as the trouble-maker who wanted to prevent peace for Libya and had left the conference for peace in Libya in November 2018.[15] Haftar had remained as belligerent against Turkey, led by Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, and Tobruk-based forces often seized Turkish ships transporting arms to the army in Tripoli.

Following the 2019–20 Western Libya campaign led by Haftar, Turkey had shown deep concerns and secretly condemned Haftar for destabilizing Libya.[16] In November 2019, Turkey stated that it signed an agreement with Libya's internationally recognized government on maritime boundaries in the Mediterranean Sea, in addition to a deal on security and military cooperation (see Libya–Turkey maritime deal).[17]

In 2019, the United Nations reported that Jordan, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates have systematically violated the Libyan arms embargo. Adding that “routinely and sometimes blatantly supplied weapons with little effort to disguise the source”.[18] Also, the Libyan National Army accused the Turkish authorities of supporting terrorist groups in Libya for many years, added that the Turkish support has evolved from just logistic support to a direct interference using military aircraft to transport mercenaries, as well as ships carrying weapons, armored vehicles and ammunition to support terrorism in Libya.[19] However, these accusations were made after pro-Haftar forces lost control over the strategic town of Gharyan after anti-Haftar forces, who back Libya's internationally recognized government, managed to push back pro-Haftar forces. In retaliation for his defeat, Haftar, who is backed by the United Arab Emirates and Egypt, responded by threatening Turkey and vowed to target all Turkish ships and companies, ban flights to and from Turkey, and arrest Turkish nationals in Libya. Other false accusations by Haftar after his loss of Gharyan were refuted by both the GNA and authorities in Gharyan.[20]

On 2 January 2020, Turkey's parliament approved a bill to deploy troops into Libya to back the UN-recognised government in the capital, after forces loyal to Haftar, a rival administration, launched an offensive. The legislation passed with a 325–184 vote, however the details of the deployment have yet to be revealed in terms of amount and timing.[21] On 6 January, Turkish troops began moving into Libya.[22] On 8 January 2020, after talks between presidents Tayyip Erdogan and Russia's Vladimir Putin (which supports Haftar's force) in Istanbul, Turkey and Russia urged all parties in Libya to declare a ceasefire at midnight on 12 January.[23]

On 8 December 2020, the House of Representatives forces intercepted a Turkish ship which carries medicine.[24]

On 27 December 2020, Turkish Defence Minister, Hulusi Akar, warned Khalifa Haftar and his forces based in eastern Libya, would be viewed as “legitimate targets” if they attempted to attack Turkish forces in the region.[25]

In May 2021, the Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush in a press conference alongside the Turkish Foreign Minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu, called Turkey to comply with the UN resolutions and withdraw the Turkish troops and mercenaries. The Turkish Foreign Minister responded that the military forces were present under a training agreement reached with the previous government.[26][27]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Akiba, Jun. "Administration of Justice in Ottoman Libya, 1835-1911". Archived from the original on 2023-01-22. Retrieved 2019-04-09 – via www.academia.edu. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  2. ^ "Libya - Karamanlis". countrystudies.us. Archived from the original on 2011-09-18. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  3. ^ John, Ronald Bruce St (26 March 2013). Libya and the United States, Two Centuries of Strife. University of Pennsylvania Press. ISBN 978-0812203219. Archived from the original on 22 January 2023. Retrieved 22 January 2023 – via Google Books.
  4. ^ "1969: Bloodless coup in Libya". 1 September 1969. Archived from the original on 20 July 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2019 – via news.bbc.co.uk.
  5. ^ Ap (26 May 1983). "King Idris, Ousted in '69 by Qaddafi, Dies in Cairo". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 12 March 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  6. ^ "Analysis: Turkey Has Been in Libya Since Gaddafi's Fall". see.news. 1 December 2019. Archived from the original on 2 February 2020. Retrieved 16 January 2020.
  7. ^ Kinzer, Stephen (9 October 1996). "Tirade by Qaddafi Stuns Turkey's Premier". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 26 May 2015. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  8. ^ "Jawad Mella says Muammar Gaddafi is the only world leader who truly supports the Kurds". ekurd.net. Archived from the original on 2011-07-04. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  9. ^ Traynor, Ian (March 24, 2011). "Turkey and France clash over Libya air campaign". The Guardian. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2020 – via www.theguardian.com.
  10. ^ "Turkey to make 'necessary contribution' to protect Libyan people". Trend.Az. March 20, 2011. Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
  11. ^ "Turkey says offered Gaddafi "guarantee" to quit Libya". Reuters. 10 June 2011. Archived from the original on 11 April 2019. Retrieved 11 April 2019 – via www.reuters.com.
  12. ^ "Turkey recognises Libyan rebels". France 24. 3 July 2011. Archived from the original on 10 July 2011. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  13. ^ "Haftar displeasure over Qatar, Turkey on display at Palermo". english.alarabiya.net. 14 November 2018. Archived from the original on 14 November 2018. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  14. ^ "Haftar accuses Turkey of violating arms embargo on Libya - AW staff". AW. Archived from the original on 2020-03-23. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  15. ^ "Turkey's Vice President Oktay storms out of Libya conference in Italy - Turkey News". Hürriyet Daily News. Archived from the original on 2018-11-13. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  16. ^ "Turkey raises concern over tension in Libya". yenisafak.com. Yeni Şafak. Archived from the original on 2019-04-08. Retrieved 2019-04-09.
  17. ^ "Turkey and Libya sign deal on maritime zones in the Mediterranean". Reuters. 2019-11-28. Archived from the original on 2020-05-30. Retrieved 2019-11-28.
  18. ^ "Libya arms embargo being systematically violated by UN states". The Guardian. 9 December 2019. Archived from the original on 25 June 2020. Retrieved 9 December 2019.
  19. ^ "Libyan National Army: Turkey supports terrorists, directly interferes in Libya". egypttoday. 29 June 2019. Archived from the original on 14 July 2019. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  20. ^ "Haftar vows attacks on Turkish assets in Libya". france24. 29 June 2019. Archived from the original on 29 March 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2019.
  21. ^ "Turkey's parliament approves military deployment to Libya". www.aljazeera.com. Archived from the original on 2020-01-02. Retrieved 2020-01-06.
  22. ^ "Turkey deploys troops to bolster Libyan government". BBC News. 6 January 2020. Archived from the original on 6 January 2020. Retrieved 6 January 2020.
  23. ^ "Turkey, Russia call for ceasefire in Libya on Jan 12". Reuters. 2020-01-08. Archived from the original on 2020-04-10. Retrieved 2020-01-08.
  24. ^ "Eastern Libyan force says it intercepted Turkish ship". Reuters. 8 December 2020. Archived from the original on 8 December 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
  25. ^ "Turkey warns Libya's Haftar and supporters against attacking its forces". Reuters. 2020-12-27. Archived from the original on 2020-12-27. Retrieved 2020-12-27.
  26. ^ "Libya's top diplomat calls on Turkey to withdraw foreign fighters". aljazeera. 2021-05-03. Archived from the original on 2021-05-03. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
  27. ^ "Libyan foreign minister calls on Turkey to withdraw mercenaries". ahvalnews. 2021-05-03. Archived from the original on 2021-05-03. Retrieved 2021-05-03.
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