President Erdoğan receives Libyan PM in Istanbul
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan (R) and Libya's Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah in Istanbul, Türkiye, Oct. 20, 2023. (AA Photo)


President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan hosted Libya's Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah for a closed-door meeting in Istanbul on Friday. No statement has been made about the details pertaining to the meeting.

Türkiye and Libya have witnessed growing ties in recent years, especially after the signing of security and maritime boundary pacts in November 2019, along with Türkiye’s aid to help the legitimate Libyan government push back putschist general Haftar’s forces.

In the recent Libyan crisis, Türkiye supported the legitimate U.N.-recognized government in Tripoli against Haftar, backed by Egypt, France, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Russia. Türkiye’s support for the Tripoli government was critical in repelling Haftar forces’ offensive to capture Libya's capital. It led to a period of stability, resulting in the formation of a unity government. In the current situation, Türkiye suggests that an election, reflecting the will of the Libyan people, should be held to establish a long-lasting and stable government in the country.