ISTANBUL – Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin have called for a ceasefire to end the conflict in Libya on Wednesday.
After talks in Istanbul, Erdogan and Putin said the ceasefire should come into force at midnight on Sunday.
The call came amid a warning by German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas of a Syrian-style civil war in Libya.
Last week, Turkey sent troops to the North African state to bolster the embattled United Nations (UN)-backed government. Turkey accuses Russia of having around 2,500 mercenaries in Libya to support the UN-backed administration’s main rival, Gen Khalifar Haftar. Russia denies the allegation.
Libya is strategically important, having the largest oil reserves in Africa. It is located along the Mediterranean coast, and a gateway to Europe for African migrants. Previous efforts to end hostilities and unite the nation have failed, and it is unclear whether the latest initiative will succeed.(BBC)
