'It's Macron who is playing a dangerous game in Libya,' says Turkey's foreign minister

Photo: AA/File

Minister of Foreign Affairs Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu has criticized France's president for his recent comments on Turkey's support to Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA).

Emmanuel Macron had called Ankara's moves in Libya a "dangerous game."

In a live radio broadcast, Çavuşoğlu said that France plays a dangerous game by going beyond the limits in Libya.

Accusing France of being complicit in the chaos in Libya, the foreign minister said the existence and activities of France in Libya are worrying.

"The balance has been achieved thanks to us. As the legitimate government started to achieve dominance, even the countries earlier standing in the middle gradually started to side with the legitimate government," he said.

On the verge of losing Tripoli, the country's capital, the GNA has pushed back the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by former general Khalifa Haftar and captured some key areas since Turkey's involvement began in early 2020.

The GNA launched the "Operation Peace Storm" against the LNA in March to counter its attacks on Tripoli, and recently captured strategic locations, including Tarhuna, the LNA's final stronghold in western Libya

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.

The UN recognizes the GNA, which is headed by Fayez al-Sarraj as the country's authority. (VK)