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Six Turkish sailors freed by Libya warlord Khalifa Haftar
Source: The Guardian
Six Turkish sailors freed by Libya warlord Khalifa Haftar
Release follows warning by Turkey of retaliation against Libyan National Army
Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor
Mon 1 Jul 2019 15.12 BST Last modified on Mon 1 Jul 2019 15.22 BST
Six Turkish sailors detained in Libya by Khalifa Haftar’s forces have been released, Turkey’s foreign ministry has said, a day after Turkey warned his Libyan National Army (LNA) militia would become a “legitimate target” unless the men were released immediately.
The six men appear to have been captured by the LNA as a reprisal for Haftar losing control of a key town that has set back his efforts to capture Libya’s capital, Tripoli, from the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).
Turkey backs the GNA and has been accused by Haftar of supplying weaponry to the GNA in breach of a UN arms embargo, as well as operating drone strikes on his forces from the GNA military command headquarters.
Haftar has also ordered that in his strongholds in the east of the country all Turkish nationals should be arrested and all restaurants and shops with Turkish names or products be closed. The six men were arrested as part of Haftar’s anti-Turkish drive, and it is not clear if their release signalled that Haftar recognised he had overstepped the mark.
-snip-
Release follows warning by Turkey of retaliation against Libyan National Army
Patrick Wintour Diplomatic editor
Mon 1 Jul 2019 15.12 BST Last modified on Mon 1 Jul 2019 15.22 BST
Six Turkish sailors detained in Libya by Khalifa Haftar’s forces have been released, Turkey’s foreign ministry has said, a day after Turkey warned his Libyan National Army (LNA) militia would become a “legitimate target” unless the men were released immediately.
The six men appear to have been captured by the LNA as a reprisal for Haftar losing control of a key town that has set back his efforts to capture Libya’s capital, Tripoli, from the UN-recognised Government of National Accord (GNA).
Turkey backs the GNA and has been accused by Haftar of supplying weaponry to the GNA in breach of a UN arms embargo, as well as operating drone strikes on his forces from the GNA military command headquarters.
Haftar has also ordered that in his strongholds in the east of the country all Turkish nationals should be arrested and all restaurants and shops with Turkish names or products be closed. The six men were arrested as part of Haftar’s anti-Turkish drive, and it is not clear if their release signalled that Haftar recognised he had overstepped the mark.
-snip-
Read more: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/jul/01/six-turkish-sailors-freed-by-libya-warlord-khalifa-haftar