'Erdogan only honest player in Libya'

PARIS

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is the only player in Libya acting in an honest way and the Ankara administration is not hiding its regional agenda, a French magazine said Wednesday.

According to the article in Le Canard enchaine, which included the opinions of former French diplomats, Turkey’s president is the only one who is not hiding his military, geopolitical and energy goals in the Mediterranean, Libya and Cyprus.

Reportedly, Libyan renegade commander Khalifa Haftar had trusted in the support of Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Saudi Arabia and France. However, the legitimate Libyan administration managed to beat Haftar with Turkey’s support.

In addition, the piece said the Libyan government viewed a recent statement by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi – where he argued that direct intervention in Libya was a possibility – as a war declaration and meddling in the country’s internal affairs.

Libya has been torn by civil war since the ouster of late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The country's new government was founded in 2015 under a UN-led agreement, but efforts for a long-term political settlement failed due to a military offensive by Haftar's forces.

The UN recognizes the Libyan government headed by Fayez al-Sarraj as the country's legitimate authority as Tripoli battles Haftar's militias.

The government launched Operation Peace Storm in March to counter Haftar's attacks on the capital Tripoli and recently liberated strategic locations including Tarhuna, Haftar's final stronghold in western Libya.

*Writing by Ali Murat Alhas