On Thursday, the Turkish Ministry of Defense denied circulating claims that Turkey has taken the Libyan port of Al-Khoms on lease. The denial is in response to recent reports suggesting such an arrangement.
On August 5th, Libyan officials announced the evacuation of civilian personnel from the military segment of Al-Khoms. In response to speculations, the Turkish Defense Ministry articulated that such decisions by Libyan authorities had no link to Turkey’s actions or intentions. Ankara suggests that these conjectures seem strategically designed to tarnish Turkey’s international image.
Highlighting their role, the Turkish Defense Ministry clarified, “Our collaboration with Libya revolves primarily around training and consultancy, strictly following Libyan directives.”
This stance received a nod from the Tripoli-led government, headed by Prime Minister Abdul-Hamid Dbaiba. They, too, dismissed allegations of Al-Khoms being transformed into a Turkish military base. Mohamed Hamouda, the government spokesperson, emphasized during a media address at the port, “Assertions about Al-Khoms serving any foreign military agenda are unequivocally false.”
Hamouda advised the public to stay discerning and to rely on authentic news sources to avert potential regional discord.
Interestingly, the origin of these speculations traces back to certain Libyan digital outlets, which cited a tweet from an account named “Turkish Defense Industries.” The tweet claimed a 99-year lease of the Al-Khoms port by Turkey, intending to erect a military installation there.
Complicating the narrative, an unidentified military faction in Libya vocalized resistance against Turkey’s alleged expansive influence, pinpointing landmarks like Al-Watiya Airbase and Sidi Bilal Port. They accentuated this sentiment against the backdrop of what they describe as the passive “Dbaiba-led Tripoli government.”
