LYBIA – French President Emmanuel Macron has accused his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan of breaking his promise to stay out of Libya.

Mr Macron said Turkish warships accompanied by Syrian mercenaries had been spotted arriving in Libyan.

Mr Erdogan has not responded to the allegations.

Earlier this month, world leaders pledged not to interfere in Libya’s civil conflict and vowed to uphold a UN arms embargo.

Turkey supports the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli while France has nurtured ties with the government’s rival, the rebel General Khalifa Haftar.

Since April 2019, the GNA has fought back against an offensive launched by fighters loyal to Gen Haftar.

Mr Macron said the presence of Turkish warships was “a clear violation” of what President Erdogan had pledged in Berlin on 19 January during a conference on Libya with other world leaders. (BBC)…[+]