Turkey Deploys Warships, Air Defenses & Heavy Armor To Libya

Via AlMasdarNews.com,

The Libyan National Army (LNA) announced that Turkey had deployed two Turkish warships, anti-aircraft missiles and air defense systems to the capital city of Tripoli.

In addition to this accusation, the LNA said the Turkish military sent at least 3,000 Syrian militants to Libya since late December.

“The number of Syrian mercenaries transported by Turkey to Libya exceeded three thousand,” the Libyan National Army spokesman, Major General Ahmed al-Mesmari said at a press conference yesterday evening, noting that “Ankara transported dangerous terrorists from Syria to Libya through the Misrata and Mitiga airports and Port of Tripoli.”

Weeks after the Turkish government announced plans to send various forces to Libya to support that country’s internationally recognized government, there are now indications that those deployments are well underway. Two Turkish Navy Gabya class frigates have appeared off the coast of Tripoli, the official Libyan capital, and there are reports emerging now that Turkish troops and heavy armor are arriving in that city, too.

The French President, Emmanuel Macron, accused Turkey of violating the pledges it had made during the Berlin conference held on January 19 to settle the Libyan crisis, noting that France had monitored during the past days ships transporting Syrian mercenaries to Libya. — The Drive

Big News: Turkish Frigates Appear Off Tripoli, Libya amid Reports of Turkish Troops and Tanks Landing Ashore

Islamist Erdogan’s warships, soldiers & tanks arrive from Turkey to support GNA militias & Syrian mercenaries against Libyan Parliament-backed LNA https://t.co/Tyj9MNgoHo

— James Wheeler (@wheelertweets) January 29, 2020

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Macron said, during a press conference with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Paris, that “Turkey has broken its promises it made during the Berlin conference.”

Macron further said, “In recent days, we detected Turkish ships carrying Syrian mercenaries who arrived in Libya.”

⚠️ If the picture is real, then Turkish Navy frigates TCG Göksu or TCG Gökova , (O.H. Perry frigates) is in Tripoli #Libya https://t.co/kerzSITEV7

— Yörük Işık (@YorukIsik) January 28, 2020

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The Turkish Foreign Ministry for its part criticized Macron’s statements, saying that “France is responsible for the problems that Libya has experienced since the crisis began in 2011.”