“During the talks, Minister Akar stated that Turkey will continue its training and military advisory support to its Libyan brothers, with whom it has a 500-year common history, friendship, brotherhood and cultural ties,” the statement said.

Turkey supports the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) in Libya's ongoing conflict.

Turkish military intervention was approved by the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on 2 January 2020, which passed a one-year mandate to deploy troops to Libya. Turkish military deployments to Libya began on 5 January.

Direct Turkish support for the Government of National Accord was generally on-the-ground advisers providing training and operational support, air support through unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), intelligence operatives and support from Turkish Navy vessels for Libyan ground forces.

In addition to its own troop and equipment deployments, Turkey was hiring and transporting Syrian mercenaries from the Turkish-backed Syrian National Army to support and bolster the manpower of the GNA since December 2019. (ILKHA)