Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson

Turkey has warned the United Arab Emirates (UAE) against its hostile stance towards Ankara, calling on Abu Dhabi to stop providing arms and mercenary support to coup plotters in Libya.

Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hami Aksoy said in a statement on Thursday that the Emirates needs to stop its destructive agenda by fueling civil wars.

Abu Dhabi has earlier accused Ankara of intervening in Arab politics.

Aksoy denied the allegations as groundless, saying, For years, the UAE has provided arms, military equipment, and mercenary support to coup plotters in Libya.

Turkey supports the Internationally-recognized government of Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, known as the Government of National Accord (GNA).

Libya has been divided between the Fayez government and a camp in the eastern city of Tobruk, supported militarily by self-styled commander, General Khalifa Haftar’s rebels since 2014 - collectively known as the so-called Libyan National Army (LNA).

The country plunged into chaos in 2011, when a popular uprising and a NATO intervention led to the ouster, and later killing, of long-time dictator Muammar Gaddafi.

Turkey said on Wednesday that it will continue to support the Libyan government against themilitary dictatorship planned by Haftar.

In an attempt to boost the Tripoli-based government, Ankara has already sent military assistance to the country.

Haftar, who claimed on Monday to have a mandate to rule the North African country, has been receiving support from the UAE, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia.

He launched an offensive to capture the capital Tripoli in April last year, but has so far failed to achieve his objective of ousting the government there.

Numerous international attempts to bring about peace between the two warring sides in Libya have also failed.

The Turkish ministry spokesman further said that the international community is aware of the UAE’s support for terrorist organizations, especially al-Shabab in Sudan, and separatist movements in Yemen.

The UAE’s actions disrupting international peace, security and stability not just in Libya, but all the region, including Yemen, Syria and Africa, are well known to the international community, he added.

He also stressed that the only way to ensure stability and peace in Libya is to support Libya’s Political Agreement and the GNA, instead of supporting illegal mobs that target civilians.

The Turkish ministry statement, released in response to the Emirati foreign ministry, which claimed earlier on Thursday that the UAE commends the Libyan National Army for conducting anti-terror operations.

It called on all Libyan parties to commit to the political process under the supervision of the United Nations.

The ministry, however, did not comment on Haftar’s declaration on Monday that he is the lone ruler of Libya.

Haftar also dismissed a 2015 United Nations-brokered unity accord for the country as a thing of the past.

SOURCE: PRESS TV