Turkey says it ‘changed balance on ground’ in Libya as eastern forces reported quitting Tripoli

Libya’s internationally recognized government said on Thursday that it has regained control of Tripoli, driving eastern forces out of the capital after a year-long battle. Forces allied with the Government of National Accord (GNA) say they now hold everything within the city boundary.

A military source with the eastern forces, which are based in the city of Benghazi, was quoted by Reuters as saying they were pulling back from all of Tripoli’s suburbs. Eastern commander Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army (LNA) launched an offensive on Tripoli last year, pledging to unite Libya after years of chaos.

Ceasefire talks are expected to resume, while Libya is still partitioned between rival administrations in Tripoli and Benghazi. GNA Prime Minister Fayez al-Serraj will meet Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday in Ankara, where a senior Turkish official said the GNA advances were critical before any potential peace talks.

“The whole world recognizes that Turkey changed the balance” on the ground, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said on Wednesday. “We have interests here (and) in the Mediterranean,” he added.