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Turkey, Russia propose a ceasefire in Libya

January 9, 2020 at 4:32 pm

A view of a house hit by airstrike of the Haftar’s forces in Tripoli, Libya on 14 October 2019 [Hazem Turkia/Anadolu Agency]

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, who have each backed opposing sides in the Libyan conflict, have called for a ceasefire to end the unrest in the north African state.

After the official meeting in Istanbul, Erdogan and Putin said the ceasefire should come into effect by midnight on 12 January to protect the country from collapsing into total all-out war.

As Libya is strategically important, having the largest oil reserves in Africa, it plays a very crucial role in shaping Turkey and Russia’s relations with other regional powers.

Ankara accuses Moscow of having about 2,500 mercenaries in Libya to fight against the UN-backed Libyan Government of National Accord which Turkey supports, an allegation Russia denies.

European Council President Charles Michel is due to visit Turkey to discuss Libya, his press office announced yesterday. Michel will meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday in Istanbul to express the EU’s plan to establish stability in Libya.

READ: Germany warns of Libya becoming ‘second Syria’ as GNA meets with EU

Haftar’s forces kill migrants in Libya - Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]

Haftar’s forces kill migrants in Libya – Cartoon [Sabaaneh/MiddleEastMonitor]