Turkey’s recent intervention in Libya’s civil war has intensified the involvement of rival foreign powers in the strategically situated, energy-rich country, and threatens vital U.S. interests in the region, even as Washington mostly observes from the sidelines.
Ankara became significantly more involved in Libya in November 2019, when it agreed to provide military support for Tripoli-based, U.N.-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) – strongly influenced by the Muslim Brotherhood and other Islamist elements – against the rival Tobruk-based Libyan National Army (LNA) supported by UAE, Egypt, Russia, France and others. In exchange, Turkey secured a bilateral pact ostensibly legitimizing its vast offshore territorial claims in the increasingly energy-rich Eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey’s new presence in Libya is emboldening both sides of the conflict to ratchet up their fighting, seek greater foreign assistance and forswear negotiations, despite a U.N. arms embargo and despite coronavirus sweeping through the country. It also directly imperils U.S. interests in promoting peaceful regional energy development.
