Turkey and Russia calls for ceasefire to end Libya conflict

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin called for a ceasefire to culminate the conflict in Libya.

Turkish President and Russian President agreed that the ceasefire should be enforced at midnight on Sunday. They said this while negotiations in Istanbul.

The decision has been taken after German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass had warned of a Syrian-Style civil war in Libya.

Turkey had sent troops to the North African state to boost the besieged UN-based government.

Turkey claims that Russia has about 2,500 mercenaries in Libya to support the main rival of UN-backed administrations Gen Khalifar Haftar. However, Russia did not agree with the claim.

Earlier this month, Turkey’s parliament has approved a bill to deploy troops to Libya in support of the embattled United Nations-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA), paving the way for increased military cooperation despite criticism from opposition legislators.

President Erdogan says Turkey gradually sending troops to Libya

Turkey parliament approves Libya military deployment

Turkish lawmakers voted 325-184 at an emergency session in favor of allowing a one-year mandate to deploy troops and follows a request for assistance by the beleaguered Tripoli government, which has been under sustained attack since April by warlord Khalifa Haftar.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s office confirmed last Friday that a request for military support had been received from the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA).

Following the announcement, US President Donald Trump warned Erdogan against any “interference” in Libya in a telephone call.

Trump “pointed out that foreign interference is in complicating the situation in Libya,” White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement.