Trump urges deescalation on call with Erdogan as Libyan military conflicts turn the tide
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U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the NATO leaders summit in Watford, Britain, December 4, 2019. /Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump and Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the NATO leaders summit in Watford, Britain, December 4, 2019. /Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump called for a "rapid deescalation" of the Libyan conflict on a call with Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Saturday, according to White House, after recent gains by forces backed by Turkey prompted threats of retaliation.

Turkey backs Libya's internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), which has made significant military gains in recent weeks in battles with the eastern-based Libyan National Army (LNA) of Khalifa Haftar.  

Meanwhile, Libyan commander Khalifa Haftar called on his forces on Saturday to rally against Turkey, which has helped his Tripoli-based rivals turn the tide of a military conflict around the capital.

Ismet Yilmaz, head of the parliament's national defense committee from the ruling AK Party, addresses lawmakers at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, Turkey, January 2, 2020. /Reuters

Ismet Yilmaz, head of the parliament's national defense committee from the ruling AK Party, addresses lawmakers at the Turkish Parliament in Ankara, Turkey, January 2, 2020. /Reuters

With Turkish help, the GNA has seized a string of towns, captured a strategic airbase and destroyed several of the LNA's Russian-made air defense systems. The surge has put pressure on Haftar's 13-month campaign to seize the capital Tripoli and has squeezed his foreign backers Russia, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates.

White House spokesperson Judd Deere said in a statement: "President Trump reiterated concern over worsening foreign interference in Libya and the need for rapid deescalation." 

As the LNA has promised to respond with a massive air campaign, diplomats have warned of the risk of a new round of escalation with the warring sides' external backers pouring in new weaponry.

Turkey "will not bow to threats by Haftar or anyone else," Turkey's presidential spokesperson Ibrahim Kalin said to media. 

"The international community must take a stand against Hafter. We need to go back to the table for a political solution as soon as possible," Kalin said.

File photo: LNA members pose for a picture as they head out of Benghazi to reinforce the troops advancing on Tripoli. /Reuters

File photo: LNA members pose for a picture as they head out of Benghazi to reinforce the troops advancing on Tripoli. /Reuters

The LNA said it had withdrawn from some areas, but had also staged an ambush at Yarmouk military camp in Tripoli and killed or captured rival combatants.

Haftar, in an audio message addressed to his forces, urged them to battle the "colonial" intervention by Turkey until its defeat, in a reference to one-time Ottoman control of Libya.

"You are creating glory while fighting the odious colonizer greedy for our wealth," he said, calling "soldiers to wage war on all fronts, a war in which there is nothing but victory."

Haftar's comments were released as U.S. President Donald Trump appealed for a rapid deescalation of the conflict in Libya in a call with his Turkish counterpart Tayyip Erdogan.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said separately his country had "changed the balance" in Libya and averted a "full-blown civil war."

Source(s): Reuters