Haftar ready for ceasefire if 'Turkish troops, mercenaries' withdraw from Libya

MOSCOW - 21 February 2020: Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, the Commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), has set out conditions to ensure a ceasefire in the country.

The Syrian and Turkish mercenaries must pull out from the country and Ankara must halt the supply of arms to Tripoli, Haftar said in an interview with Sputnik news agency on Friday.

"Unfortunately, a temporary ceasefire is being used by Turkey and the [Tripoli-based Prime Minister Fayez] Sarraj government to transfer a large number of Syrian mercenaries, Turkish soldiers, terrorists, and weapons to Tripoli by sea and air. It is a violation of the ceasefire", the LNA commander added.

"Our patience is running thin regarding repeated truce breaches by [Recep Tayyip] Erdogan and [GNA Prime Minister Fayez] Sarraj's mercenaries and their failure to fulfill their Berlin obligations," Haftar said.

According to Haftar, the LNA is open to all peace initiatives that could achieve security and stability on Libyan soil and supports actions conducted by the UN Support Mission in Libya and its head Ghassan Salame.