Turkish spy chief holds rare meetings with Libya's Haftar in Benghazi

Ibrahim Kalin visits eastern Libya after joint naval exercises held

Libyan Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, right, in his Benghazi office meeting Turkey's intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin. Photo: Libyan National Army

Turkey’s intelligence chief has held rare meetings in the eastern part of Libya controlled by military commander Khalifa Haftar, as Ankara seeks to project influence across the Mediterranean.

Ibrahim Kalin, a close confidant of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, met Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar and his son, newly appointed second in command Saddam Haftar, in Benghazi. Turkish media described it as the first high-level visit there in years by Turkish officials.

From the city, Khalifa Haftar runs a rival authority to the Libyan government in Tripoli that is traditionally backed by Turkey.

Lt Gen Saddam Haftar, right, deputy commander-in-chief of the Libyan National Army, with Ibrahim Kalin, head of Turkey’s National Intelligence Agency, in Benghazi. Photo: Libyan National Army

Khalifa Haftar’s talks with Mr Kalin focused on reviewing “significant developments in relations” and tackling illegal migration, the Benghazi government’s military media office said. The meeting with Saddam Haftar focused on enhancing Libya-Turkey co-operation “in the fields of intelligence and security”, it added.

The meetings followed a visit by a Turkish military delegation to Benghazi port, where a Turkish naval vessel, the TCG Kinaliada, conducted joint exercises with patrol boats from Khalifa Haftar’s Libyan National Army.

That visit, which took place last week, was confirmed on Monday by Turkey’s Defence Ministry, and focused on “joint efforts under the goal of 'One Libya, One Army'”, the ministry said on X.

The split in 2014 between Libya’s eastern and western factions intensified hostilities that broke out after a 2011 Nato-backed uprising ousted long-time autocrat Muammar Qaddafi. A truce in 2020 eased fighting but the security situation remains precarious, the UN says.

In 2019, Khalifa Haftar’s forces said they had cut all ties with Turkey and that all Turkish commercial flights or ships trying to access Libya would be treated as hostile. In January the following year, Turkey sent in troops to back the rival Government of National Unity (GNU) in Tripoli, Libya’s internationally recognised authority.

But in recent months Ankara appears to have attempted to improve relations with Haftar forces. Saddam Haftar visited Ankara in April this year and Turkey has reappointed a consul general to Benghazi. Turkish Airlines currently runs direct flights to Benghazi, as well as Tripoli and the city of Misurata in north-western Libya.