Libya: Egypt to provide tanks to Haftar in wake of Turkish military pledge to GNA

Egypt will supply retired General and rival of the UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNA), Khalifa Haftar, with tanks. The move came in reaction to Turkey’s recent military promise to the internationally recognized Libyan administration, based in Tripoli.

Egyptian sources revealed Wednesday that the largest populated Arab country will loan Russia-made tanks to Haftar’s Libyan National Army (LNA), currently embarked on an offensive to seize the Libyan capital from the GNA over accusation that militias have taken the city into hostage, Turkish state-run news agency Anadolu reports.

The decision is meant to help Haftar complete the offensive on Tripoli before Turkey launches any direct military intervention in Libya on the side of the GNA, the Egyptian sources told Anadolu.

Egyptian authorities reportedly have “sensed serious intentions from Ankara of direct military intervention in Libya.”

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan early this month voiced Ankara’s readiness to send troops to Libya should the GNA make such a request. Similar security pledge was made by Qatar, another close ally of the GNA, last Sunday during a visit to Doha by GNA leader Faiez Serraj.