Libya’s turbulent 2025 unfolded against a backdrop of armed clashes in Tripoli and sustained diplomatic engagement by close ally Türkiye.
Although a plane crash in Ankara last month that killed a Libyan military delegation, including the head of its army, marked a somber development, Turkish-Libyan ties took leaps last year.
Ankara emerged as a prominent diplomatic actor as it helped ease military tensions in Tripoli and stepped up its outreach to the eastern faction throughout 2025 as it shifted its Libya policy.
Most recently, the Turkish Parliament extended by another two years the deployment of Turkish troops to Libya, which wants Türkiye’s support against attacks to unseat it.
Libya remains split between two administrations: a government appointed by the House of Representatives in early 2022 and based in Benghazi, led by Osama Hammad, which controls the east and much of the south; and the internationally recognized Government of National Unity, led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah, in Tripoli, which runs the west.
In spring 2025, Tripoli was gripped by four months of military tension following the May 12 killing of the leader of the Gineiwe militia, triggering clashes in which government forces swiftly seized the group’s headquarters and took control of the Abu Salim district, a move Dbeibah praised as part of efforts to dismantle armed groups outside state authority.
Despite an initial cease-fire in May, tensions persisted as fighting spread to include the Rada armed group, which controlled Mitiga airport, Tripoli’s only operational air hub. The group set up checkpoints across parts of the capital, keeping the city on edge and disrupting daily life.
As international efforts led by the United Nations and European countries failed to contain the escalation, Türkiye intensified multi-track diplomacy through its National Intelligence Organization (MIT). Engagement with all parties gained momentum after MIT Director Ibrahim Kalın’s June 4 visit to Tripoli, paving the way for sustained talks that culminated in a cease-fire agreement on Sept. 13.
The Turkish-mediated deal ended the prolonged standoff and restored relative normalcy to the capital.
Alongside efforts in western Libya, Ankara moved to deepen engagement with eastern actors in an inclusive approach to Libya’s fragmented political landscape. Lt. Gen. Saddam Haftar, son of eastern commander Khalifa Haftar, visited Türkiye three times in 2025, meeting Defense Minister Yaşar Güler in April for talks that marked “an important strategic step toward a unified Libya.”
Saddam Haftar later attended the IDEF 2025 Defense Industry Fair in Istanbul in July and returned again in November for meetings with Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Defense Minister Güler.
In a reciprocal visit in August, National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director Ibrahim Kalın visited Benghazi for talks with Khalifa Haftar, marking the first high-level contact between Ankara and the eastern Libyan administration in years. The visit underscored Türkiye’s intent to maintain open communication with all key Libyan actors.
Days before, the Turkish Navy corvette TCG Kınalıada docked in Benghazi, where it conducted a PASSEX naval exercise with eastern Libyan forces. The Turkish delegation aboard the vessel was received by Saddam Haftar.
Türkiye and Libya are also closely aligned in the Eastern Mediterranean, where joint maritime interests often clash with Ankara’s historic rival, Greece, and the Greek Cypriot administration.
Libya’s both eastern and western authorities reacted strongly to Greece’s actions in the Eastern Mediterranean when Athens launched a tender in June for hydrocarbon exploration south and west of Crete. The Government of National Accord (GNA) summoned the Greek ambassador and called the move a violation of Libya’s sovereign rights.
A parallel response came from the east, where Benghazi-appointed Prime Minister Osama Hammad rejected challenges to Libya’s agreements with friendly countries, affirming the legitimacy of cooperation with Türkiye under international law.
In the fall of 2019, Türkiye and Libya signed a deal setting marine jurisdictions, rejecting unilateral and illegal activities by regional countries and international firms, and protecting the rights of both countries. The deal was registered by the U.N. in October 2020.
