Türkiye hosts talks to unify Libya’s rival forces

ANKARA

Türkiye hosted talks between representatives of Libya’s rival military forces on Oct. 23, with proposals for a joint command in Sirte forming part of efforts to unify the country’s armed forces.

The Ankara meeting brought together Abdulsalam al-Zoubi, deputy defense minister in the Tripoli-based Government of National Unity, and Saddam Haftar, deputy commander of the eastern-based Libyan National Army.

Al-Araby al-Jadeed, citing Libyan sources, reported agreement on Sirte as the joint command’s headquarters but said differences over political oversight had prevented a final deal. Al-Zoubi wanted the unified military to answer to the Defense Ministry, while Haftar favored the Presidential Council.

A draft described by the Libya Observer would replace the command structure headed by Khalifa Haftar with an army command council jointly chaired by al-Zoubi and Saddam Haftar, with equal representation from both sides.

The proposal also envisages a joint force operating in southern Libya under the defense minister and suspending the supreme commander’s role until elections.

Arabic Post had earlier reported that Saddam Haftar accepted prioritizing a military accord after receiving assurances from Türkiye and the United Arab Emirates that a political agreement would follow.

The talks came after the eastern-based House of Representatives approved the 2019 Türkiye-Libya maritime boundary agreement on Oct. 20, reversing years of opposition to the accord signed with the then-government in Tripoli.

Ankara has expanded contacts with eastern Libyan leaders while maintaining ties with the Tripoli government, which it supported against Khalifa Haftar’s offensive in 2019-2020.

Arabic Post also reported that parliament Speaker Al-Salihin Abdul Nabi would begin a three-day visit to Tripoli on Oct. 27 for meetings with Government of National Unity officials.

Separately, Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah told Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad that his government was ready to address Cairo’s concerns over Mediterranean maritime boundaries through dialogue, his office said on Oct. 24. Egypt has rejected the Libyan parliament’s approval of the agreement with Türkiye.