Syria, eastern Libya government joining hands against Turkey

Sara Rashad

Syrian-Libyan relations are witnessing improvements for the first time since the eruption of what is known as the Arab Spring.

A high-level Libyan delegation arrived in Syrian capital, Damascus, this week, after a years-long boycott between the two countries.

Similarities

The Libyan delegation signed a memorandum of understanding with the Syrian government, according to the official Syrian news agency, SANA.

The memo stipulates the reopening of diplomatic representation offices and consulates in the two states, the agency said.

The Libyan embassy in Damascus was reopened on March 3. This is an important move, especially in the presence of similarities between the conditions in both countries.

The Syrian and Libyan armies fight against Turkey and Qatar-backed militias in Syria and Libya. Both armies work to sabotage the Turkish project for empowering dynamic Islamist groups in the two countries.

Cooperation between Syria and Libya is becoming necessary, especially at the level of security.

GNA reacting

The Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) expressed anger at the fledgling alliance between Damascus and the eastern Libya government.

The GNA is especially angry at the handover of the headquarters of the Libyan embassy in Damascus to the delegation of the eastern Libya government.

It said the memo between the eastern Libya government and the Syrian government violates the resolutions of the United Nations Security Council.

Turkish losses

Libyan analyst Mohamed al-Zubaidi said cooperation between the eastern Libya government and the Syrian government would encourage other countries that are opposed to Turkey to follow their example.

“This will make Turkey incur huge losses at the political and military levels,” al-Zubaidi told The Reference.

He said this cooperation amounts to a painful blow to Turkish President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, especially after the killing of a large number of Turkey-sent Syrian mercenaries in Libya.