E. Libyan Forces Call For Labeling Erdogan War Criminal For Alleged Crimes By Loyal Forces

E. Libyan Forces Call for Labeling Erdogan War Criminal for Alleged Crimes by Loyal Forces

The Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar has urged the international community to designate Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a "war criminal" for alleged crimes against humanity committed by forces loyal to him that operate in Libya, LNA spokesman Ahmad Mismari has said

MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 15th June, 2020) The Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar has urged the international community to designate Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan as a "war criminal" for alleged crimes against humanity committed by forces loyal to him that operate in Libya, LNA spokesman Ahmad Mismari has said.

Turkey has provided extensive military support to the LNA's main rival the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) which requested assistance from Ankara in late 2019. The sides also signed a military cooperation pact that was heavily criticized by the LNA and the eastern-based authorities that it supports.

"We call on the international community to designate Erdogan a war criminal for the crimes against humanity committed by his forces and mercenaries in Libya," Mismari said at a press conference late on Sunday.

Most of the violations conducted by militias affiliated with Ankara, including killings, kidnapping and arson attacks on private and public institutions in the areas of Tripoli, Alasaba, Al Urban and Tarhuna, have been documented, the spokesman said.

"We hope that the United Nations Support Mission in Libya will condemn these actions and urge [the mission] to carry out a transparent investigation into these grave violations," Mismari added.

Turkey sent seven warships to Libya's coast after forces loyal to Turkey had suffered great losses among its troops and military equipment, according to the spokesman.

Mismari suggested that Erdogan "dreams" of gaining control over the areas in which Libya's major oilfields are located the so-called oil crescent region, which includes foreign petroleum companies that have invested in Libya.

On Friday, Turkish newspaper Yeni Safak reported that Turkey was planning to establish two permanent military bases in Libya as part of its continued support for the GNA.