French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle spotted a Turkish frigate escorting a cargo ship delivering armored vehicles to the Libyan capital Tripoli in defiance of a UN embargo, a French military source told media on Thursday. The cargo ship Bana docked in Tripoli port on Wednesday, said the source, who asked not to be named.
The denouncement practically confirms media reports a day earlier about two frigates of turkey’s Navy escorting cargo ships with military equipment to Libya.
According to the Marine Traffic specialist website, the vessel was recorded Thursday off the coast of Sicily.
Libyan broadcaster “218TV” as well as media sources close to General Haftar posted videos an dpictures from the military equipment Ankara has sent to Tripolis.
فيديو خاص يُظهر وصول أسلحة وآليات عسكرية على متن سفن حربية تركية وصلت لـ #ميناء_طرابلس يوم الثلاثاء الماضي #ليبيا #تركيا @GhassanSalame @UNSMILibya @francediplo_AR @USAEmbassyLibya @LindseySnell @USAbilAraby #218TV pic.twitter.com/qzg2C1vfvp
— 218TV (@218Tv) January 30, 2020
#Turkey sending military equipment to support the #terrorists #mercenaries and #militias of the #GNA, #Libya#libya_osmanlı_mezarlığıdır pic.twitter.com/0LvhIhPsP1
— M.LNA (@LNA2019M) January 30, 2020
Turkish ship that it landed in the port of Tripoli last Tuesday, January 28, 2020
This is confirmed by the General Command that it is a #Turkish invasion that violates all international laws and norms and violates the ceasefire in the western region.#GNA #Libya pic.twitter.com/lNgJUq8iRM— M.LNA (@LNA2019M) January 30, 2020
Turkish ship that it landed in the port of Tripoli last Tuesday, January 28, 2020
This is confirmed by the General Command that it is a #Turkish invasion that violates all international laws and norms and violates the ceasefire in the western region.#GNA #Libya pic.twitter.com/E48q2I5qDJ— M.LNA (@LNA2019M) January 30, 2020
The claim came a day after President Emmanuel Macron angered Turkey by accusing his counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan of failing “to keep his word” to end meddling in the north African country.
Specifically, Macron said Turkish ships had in recent days been seen taking ships laden with pro-Ankara Syrian mercenaries to Libya.
The UN Security Council has since February 2011 imposed an arms embargo on Libya, relating to the supply of arms and military equipment to and from the country.
UN envoy Ghassan Salame warned Thursday that moves to resupply the parties in the conflict “threaten to precipitate a new and much more dangerous conflagration.”
The Turkish foreign ministry on Wednesday blamed France for Libya’s instability, saying it was “no secret” that Paris had given “unconditional support” to Haftar with an eye on the country’s energy reserves.
Turkey was particularly angry as Macron made the above mentioned statement during a joint press conference with Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
sources also: alaraby, sigmalive
