Any aggression towards Turkey by Khalifa Haftar forces will carry a heavy cost and any aggression will face effective and strong retaliation, Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said on Sunday.

Akar's comments came after Eastern Libyan forces loyal to strongman Haftar said Libyan National Army would attack any Turkish military presence and would treat any commercial Turkish aircrafts and ships as hostile.

Speaking to reporters in Japan's Osaka after the G20 summit, Akar said Turkey was trying to contribute to regional peace and stability in Libya.

"Any aggression or hostile movements toward us while we are trying to contribute to regional peace and stability will pay a very heavy price and face most effective and strong retaliation. We are prepared against any hostilities towards us," he said.

The self-styled Libyan National Army, led by Haftar, launched a surprise offensive against the capital Tripoli in April, a move that could potentially drag the country back into civil war.

Libya has been gripped by unrest since the 2011 uprising that overthrew and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. In recent years, the country has been governed by rival authorities in the east and in Tripoli, in the west, each backed by various armed groups.