Turkey will not refrain from "teaching a lesson" to Khalifa Haftar, the putschist commander of eastern Libyan forces, if they continue attacks against the country's internationally recognised government, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Tuesday.
In a speech, Erdoğan said the "putschist Haftar ran away" from Moscow after Monday's peace talks between him and the head of the Tripoli-based government, Fayez al-Serraj, failed to lead to an open-ended ceasefire to end their nine-month conflict.
Erdoğan said the issue would now be discussed at talks in Berlin on Sunday attended by European, North African and Middle Eastern countries, as well as the UN, EU, Africa Union and Arab League.
"The putschist Haftar did not sign the ceasefire. He first said yes, but later unfortunately he left Moscow, he fled Moscow," Erdoğan said.
"Despite this, we find the talks in Moscow were positive as they showed the true face of the putschist Haftar to the international community."
HAFTAR'S DECISION TO SKIP LIBYA TRUCE DEAL SHOWS WHO WANTS WAR
Khalifa Haftar's decision to not sign a ceasefire agreement with Libya's internationally recognised government shows who wants war and who wants peace in the country, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Tuesday.
Speaking to reporters in Ankara, Çavuşoğlu said Turkey had done what it can to ensure the ceasefire, adding that if Haftar continues to act this way a Libya summit planned to be held Berlin on Sunday will have no meaning.
