Trump tells Erdoğan foreign interference complicating Libya

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump discussed the situation in Libya in a telephone call on Jan. 2. The White House issued a readout of the phone call afterwards, saying: "President Trump pointed out that foreign interference is complicating the situation in Libya.”

Reuters

U.S. President Donald Trump told Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in a phone call on Jan. 2 that outsiders were complicating the situation in Libya, the White House said.

It was not clear which countries or entities Trump was referring to, and a White House statement offered no other details.

Ankara passed a bill allowing troop deployment to Tripoli that paves the way for Turkey-Libya military cooperation.

Although the deployment is not imminent, Erdoğan has said troops would support Fayez al-Serraj's internationally-recognised Government of National Accord, which is fending off an offensive by General Khalifa Haftar's forces that are backed by Russia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

Trump and Erdoğan "stressed the importance of diplomacy in resolving regional issues," the Turkish presidency said in a statement about the call, adding that they also discussed Syria.

At least eight people were killed on Jan. 1 when the Syrian army launched missiles that struck a shelter for displaced families in Idlib province, witnesses and residents said. Five children were among those killed in the strike on a disused school in the town of Sarmin in Idlib province, two medics said, adding over 16 people were injured.

"The leaders agreed on the need for de-escalation in Idlib, Syria, in order to protect civilians," the White House said in its statement.

The Russian-led campaign that started in April 2019 had already forced at least 500,000 people to leave for areas closer to the border with Turkey, which Russian jets rarely hit.

Rescue services and witnesses say the bombing campaign has killed several thousand civilians.

Trump spoke out last week against the "carnage" in Idlib. Moscow and Damascus deny claims of indiscriminate bombing of civilians, saying they are fighting jihadist militants.