President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a phone call with German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a statement from the Presidency said on Wednesday.

Erdoğan and Merkel discussed regional issues and bilateral relations during the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the statement.

The statement also added that the leaders discussed recent developments in Syria and Libya.

The situation is especially tense in Libya as a war between putschist Gen. Khalifa Haftar's forces and internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) continues.

Libya has been in turmoil since 2011 when a civil war toppled long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed. The country has since split between rival administrations in the east and the west, each backed by armed groups and foreign governments.

Forces under Haftar launched an offensive trying to take Tripoli in April 2019, and the crisis in the oil-rich country had steadily worsened as foreign backers increasingly intervened despite pledges to the contrary at a high-profile peace summit in Berlin earlier this year.

Haftar’s offensive is supported by France, Russia, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates and other key Arab countries. The legitimate government in Tripoli is backed by Turkey – which sent troops and mercenaries to protect the capital in January – as well as Italy and Qatar.