Stay Away From Libya or Face Our Bullets

Libya's eastern army general has warned Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to stay his forces out of Libya or face an armed response

According to an Arab report, the warning was issued by General Khalifa Haftar of the Libyan Eastern Army, who led the Lebanese National Army (LNA) during a dispute with the govt of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli.

It should be noted that Recep Tayyip Erdogan has sent Turkish-backed people from Syria to fight for the GNA, who have artillery and heavy weapons, and that they have changed course.

Addressing the military on the occasion of Eid al-Adha, Haftar accused the Turkish president of "coming to Libya in search of the legacy of his ancestors."

"We want to inform them that we'll answer the legacy of your ancestors with bullets. No mercy are going to be shown to any Turkish force in Libya because they are doing not deserve mercy," he said.

He also said that the Libyan people wouldn't accept any occupation by the Turks and would never become a colony again.

Meanwhile, Samuel Ramani, a researcher at Oxford University within the UK, told Arab News that Haftar was stepping up his rhetoric against Turkey.

He said he was emphasizing that the war in Libya wasn't just a struggle against GNA-linked militants or terrorist militias, but a struggle for Libya's sovereignty and independence from Turkey's sovereign agenda.

Meanwhile, Khalifa Haftar's warning to Recep Tayyip Erdogan started a war of words between the Turkish Minister of Defense and therefore the UAE Minister of State for Foreign Affairs.

It should be noted that Turkey has good relations with the UN-recognized government in Libya and is additionally providing military assistance, while Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Russia are with the forces of the warring group Khalifa Haftar.

Recently, after receiving help from Turkey, the GNA government in Tripoli dramatically pushed back Commander Haftar's forces.

It should be noted that the operation against Muammar Gaddafi, who has ruled Libya for an extended time, was launched in 2011 with the support of the NATO alliance and he had to step down, but the atmosphere of chaos within the country had increased.

Muammar Gaddafi's long-ruling Libyan government was overthrown during the 2011 Arab Spring campaign.

Western countries took part in operations against Muammar Gaddafi, but after his fall, tensions in Libya escalated and war broke out, with militants strengthening on the one hand and General Khalifa Haftar forming his own militia on the opposite & established his government on one side.

General Khalifa Haftar's militia laid siege to Tripoli in April this year and disrupted the system of state with the support of key countries within the region, including Saudi Arabia, Egypt and therefore the United Arab Emirates.