Tripoli: A Turkish envoy has met the leader of a parallel government set up in Libya’s militia-held capital in a first for the rival administration, his cabinet said Wednesday.
The visit to Tripoli by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s representative comes after Libya’s internationally recognised government fled to the country’s far east because of fears for their safety.
Oil-rich Libya has two rival governments and a host of armed militias vying for power and influence.
The talks between the Turkish envoy, Emrullah Isler, and self-declared leader Omar Al Hassi took place Tuesday at government headquarters in the capital, Al Hassi’s cabinet said on its website without giving details.
It was the first reported meeting between a foreign envoy and Al Hassi, who was named to head a rival cabinet after the Fajr Libya coalition of militias seized control of the capital at the end of August after weeks of clashes with pro-government forces.
Prime Minister Abdullah Al Thinni’s internationally-backed government has taken refuge in the eastern city of Tobruk, along with Libya’s parliament which was elected in June.
Before his talks in Tripoli, the Turkish envoy also travelled to Tobruk as well as Misrata, also east of the capital, whose Islamist militias are the most influential in Fajr Libya.
Libyan authorities have struggled to impose their will across a country awash with weapons and powerful militias who ousted and killed veteran dictator longtime leader Muammar Gaddafi in a 2011 uprising.
The militias have seized control of large parts of the turmoil-gripped country.
