Al-Azhar warns against Turkish interference in Libya

Mustafa Hamza

The al-Azhar Anti-Extremism Observatory has lashed out at the latest decision by the Turkish parliament to send troops to Libya.

This decision, it said, would only serve the interests extremist groups.

The observatory warned against the ramifications of foreign interference in Libya. It said the same decision was rejected, not only in the Arab world, but also everywhere in the world.

The observatory referred to media reports about the presence of opposition within Turkey to sending troops to Libya.

It cited views by some opponents of the decision, including a former Turkish female presidential candidate who said Turkey would rather play the mediator between the Libyans. The former candidate even asked her country’s government to learn a lesson from its interference in Libya. A security cooperation deal between Turkey and the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord, the candidate said, would only threaten Turkey’s national security.

The observatory also referred to Turkish writer Rahmi Turan who wrote an article titled “Let’s not buy a ticket to hell”.

In the article, Turan says that Turkey has nothing to do with the war in Libya. He wondered at his country’s decision to send troops to Libya and asked whether this is done in support of the Muslim Brotherhood.

Another Turkish writer wrote another article, in which he asked about the terrorists operating in Syria will be sent to Libya. He added that Turkey’s mission in Libya would be to bring the Libyan people to Turkey, especially if these terrorists were used in fighting the Libyan National Army.

The same writer asked the Turkish people to be prepared for receiving the Libyan people in Turkey.

The al-Azhar observatory also cited international reactions to Turkey’s decision to send troops to Libya. it referred to a statement by the Egyptian Foreign Ministry in which it criticized the same decision.

There unanimity against this decision across the Arab world, the observatory said.

It expressed support of measures taken by Egyptian authorities with the aim of protecting Egypt’s security and territorial integrity.