Erdogan tempts mercenaries to fight in Libya under the Turkish flag

Ashraf Damer and Sherif Abdel-Zahir

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan did not heed the international warnings about the consequences of getting involved in the Libyan quagmire, but with his declining importance and popularity, he sat in Ankara and began planning and developing military strategies to redraw the map of influence and power balance in Libya.

After Erdogan obtained the approval of Turkey’s outgoing parliament to send Turkish forces to Libya, a crisis appeared regarding the deployment and logistical support of these forces. Therefore, he sought to take advantage of Libya’s neighbors Tunisia and Algeria to stage the Turkish operations in Libya, offering many promises and incentives, which the two countries refused, as they officially announced that they will not be a dagger used to stab neighbor Libya in the back.

Citizenship for working under the Turkish flag

In order to try to save his Ottoman dreams in Libya, the Turkish president resorted to granting citizenship to terrorists and to support the militias of the Tripoli-based Government of National Accord (GNA) led by Fayez al-Sarraj. Sent to Libya by the leaders of pro-Erdogan organizations, about 300 of these mercenaries are now in Tripoli, and they hold Turkish citizenship.

These mercenaries receive significant support from Turkey, including money, weapons and citizenship, in exchange for fighting in Libya, and many armed militia leaders have obtained Turkish citizenship and passports.

Role of Turkish security companies

The process of recruiting mercenary terrorists loyal to Turkey began under Turkish security companies, the most important of which is SADAT.

Turkish researcher and human rights specialist Elizabeth Tsurkov revealed on January 7 that the Turkish government promised Turkish citizenship to mercenaries who fight in Libya on behalf of Ankara for a period of six months.

Erdogan hopes from his blatant interference in Libya that he will have the largest seller and the longest reach over the Mediterranean coasts and Libyan gas fields and oil refineries, in addition to completing his Ottoman project by controlling that strategic region. He could also use Libya as a safe haven for the world’s terrorists, whom Erdogan could then use to pressure Europe, just as he did with the ISIS returnees.

In a related development, Turkey wants to obtain an ally in the eastern Mediterranean in order to sign an agreement to demarcate the maritime borders, which would give it legal status to implement its control over the Mediterranean.

Citizenship violates Turkish constitution and international law

In a statement to the Reference, Mohamed al-Zaidi, a researcher specializing in the Libyan affairs, said that Erdogan has presented significant incentives to mercenary terrorists, such as labor contracts, citizenship and money. He offered to pay $3,000 for every mercenary who goes to Libya under the Turkish flag.

Zaidi added that there are special conditions for citizenship, including that the one receiving it must be a scholar, businessman or provide great services to the state. Granting citizenship to terrorists and mercenaries is a deliberate violation of the Turkish constitution and laws, and it completely contradicts the values and protocols of international law.