NATO ready to support Libya's Sarraj, Stoltenberg says

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg has said that the alliance is ready to support Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj against the Libyan National Army (LNA) led by Khalifa Haftar. He also said that NATO is supporting the UN’s efforts for a peaceful solution to the conflicts both in Libya and Syria.

Duvar English - Anadolu Agency

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NATO is ready to support Libya’s Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj, the head of the military alliance said on May 14.

In an interview with Italian daily La Repubblica, Jens Stoltenberg noted that NATO has 30 partners, which on many issues have different positions, but added that Turkey remains an important ally.

He also said that NATO is supporting the UN’s efforts for a peaceful solution to the conflicts both in Libya and Syria.

“In Libya there is an arms embargo that needs to be respected by all sides,” Stoltenberg said.

“However, this doesn't mean to put on the same level the forces led by [Khalifa] Haftar and the government of Fayez al-Sarraj, the only one recognized by the UN,” he said.

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“For this reason, NATO is ready to give its support to the government of Tripoli,” he added.

Turkey supports the UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj based in Tripoli and deployed troops to the North African country after the two countries signed a series of deals.

The GNA has been under sustained attack for months from eastern-based renegade military commander Khalifa Haftar's Libyan National Army (LNA), which is backed by Russia, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates.

In addition to Turkish soldiers, Ankara also deployed Syrian rebels to the war-torn country.