Turkish forces have conducted a search and rescue exercise off the coast of Libya, involving a frigate and a helicopter, the Turkish Defense Ministry said on Friday
MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 11th September, 2020) Turkish forces have conducted a search and rescue exercise off the coast of Libya, involving a frigate and a helicopter, the Turkish Defense Ministry said on Friday.
"Within the scope of the activities of the Turkish Naval Task Group, a search and rescue exercise at sea was carried out by TCG GEMLIK Frigate operating offshore Libya and the helicopter stationed on the ship," the ministry said, as quoted by the Anadolu agency.
Earlier in September, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Fayez Sarraj, the head of Libya's UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), discussed the cooperation for protecting the two countries' interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Since the onset of Libya's political disarray in 2011, the GNA has established itself as the power pole in the country's west, with the center in the capital city of Tripoli, while the rival Libyan National Army took control over the east, with the center in the city of Tobruk, supported by the House of Representatives.
Turkey has taken the GNA's side and deployed troops to Libya earlier this year, much to the condemnation of the international community and other parties to the Libyan conflict. Ankara has maintained that its military presence in Libya was legal, as it followed a request from the UN-recognized government.
Last year, Erdogan signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Sarraj on maritime delimitation in the Eastern Mediterranean. The deal had Turkey and Libya lay sovereignty claims over designated sea areas and their bed resources.
