Turkiye inks deal with Libya to deepen military ties

Turkiye’s latest military agreement with Tripoli follows similar moves in Central and South Asia as part of Ankara’s NATO-aligned regional strategy

11.07.2025

News Desk

Source:https://thecradle.co/articles/%20turkiye-inks-deal-with-libya-to-deepen-military-ties

Libya and Turkiye signed an agreement on 11 July to boost military cooperation, deepening a partnership that has shaped the balance of power in the country since the NATO-led ousting of Libya's late ruler Muammar Gaddafi in 2011 and the crisis that followed.

According to a statement by Libya’s Government of National Unity (GNU), Defense Ministry undersecretary Abdulsalam al-Zoubi visited Ankara and met with Turkish Minister of National Defense Yasar Guler to finalize the deal. The agreement covers “cooperation in the fields of advanced military training, exchange of experiences, and technical and logistical support, with the aim of enhancing readiness and professional competence within the ranks of the Libyan army.” A high-level Turkish official also confirmed the signing.

This is the latest in a series of military understandings between Ankara and Tripoli. In 2019, Turkiye signed a wide-ranging defense memorandum with Libya’s then-UN-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), covering training, intelligence, maintenance, logistics, counterterrorism, and border control.

That same year, the two governments signed a maritime agreement redrawing exclusive economic zones in the eastern Mediterranean. While ratified by Tripoli, the deal was rejected by Libya’s eastern authorities and condemned by Greece, Egypt, Cyprus, and the EU.

Turkiye has since entrenched itself in western Libya, backing the GNU against rival factions. Turkish military support was decisive in halting Khalifa Hifter’s 2019–2020 offensive on the capital. At the same time, Al-Monitor reports that Ankara has cautiously improved relations with Hifter, who now appears to be reconsidering his stance on the maritime deal.

In an analysis published by The Cradle, Turkiye is described as pursuing a regional strategy that blends NATO-aligned geopolitics with ideological and economic tools, using soft power and proxy networks to deepen its influence. The new Libya agreement fits within this broader posture, reflecting Ankara’s ongoing efforts to expand military and political footholds through bilateral partnerships.

According to another analysis, Turkiye’s engagements in Central Asia, Bangladesh, and the South Caucasus mirror the Libya model: military agreements paired with long-term political and energy ambitions.

In Tripoli, GNU control has weakened, as clashes erupted in May between the Rada force and the 444 Brigade following the killing of militia leader Abdul Ghani al-Kikli.

The UN has warned that Libya is “once again teetering on the brink of violence,” calling for the withdrawal of recently deployed forces.