Turkey's support vital for Libya to become 'institutional state,' Libyan expert says


Turkey's support is vital for Libya to become an "institutional state," said Anas Atiyye Salim, planning and tracking director of Libya's Public Policy Support Office.

Turkey recently signed an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) agreement with Libya's Government of National Accord (GNA) and actively supports the internationally recognized GNA against the aggression of putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar's forces.

Referring to militia groups in Libya, Salim told Anadolu Agency (AA) that militias – acting independent of the legitimate government's authority – are unacceptable and a unified army will be established soon.

An additional key issue for the GNA is "Muslim communities," according to Salim. "Libya, as a civil state, should protect the liberties of all political and intellectual groups under the constitution," he said. The military dictatorship of Haftar would pose a grave threat to the liberties of religious groups in the country, according to most experts.

The internationally recognized GNA continues its efforts to transform Libya into a constitutional civil state in the post-Moammar Gadhafi era. However, Haftar poses a threat to the stability of the North African nation as he started his offensive in April last year in an effort to oust the legitimate government in Tripoli. Recently, armed factions loyal to Haftar carried out forced relocations by targeting prominent families and persons in eastern Libya in an effort to seize control by terrorizing the population.