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Reports of Turkey leasing Libyan port inaccurate, diplomatic source says

Meanwhile, Libya’s provisional government denied leasing the port to Turkey

ISTANBUL, August 18. /TASS/. Reports alleging that Turkey has leased Libya’s Mediterranean port of Khoms to build a military base there are not true, a diplomatic source told TASS, explaining that Ankara has maintained military ties with Tripoli since 2019 and that such cooperation also includes activity in Khoms.

"Similar reports emerged earlier, too. However, they did not mention that, at the request of [Libya’s] Government of National Unity, Turkey and Libya have maintained military cooperation based on a 2019 bilateral memorandum. Under [the document], Turkey conducts comprehensive training of [military] personnel at five centers in Libya, including at the Joint Maritime Training Center in Khoms," the diplomatic source said.

Turkey’s Milliyet newspaper said that there have been reports about Ankara’s plans to lease the port of Khoms for a period of 99 years since August 5, when the Libyan government decided to close the naval facility to civilian personnel. The move triggered protests, with demonstrators objecting to being ousted from the port following an alleged decision to lease the facility to Turkey. Ankara is aware of who has been spreading these rumors and why, the daily added. According to Milliyet, "numerous countries" are concerned over how the relationship between Turkey and Libya has been progressing, with some of them "always racing to be in the vanguard." The newspaper did not name these countries, however.

Meanwhile, Libya’s provisional government denied leasing the port to Turkey.

"Reports about [Libya’s] leasing the port of Khoms or using it for foreign military purposes are ungrounded rumors," Libya Al Ahrar television quoted government spokesman Mohammed Hammude as saying on Friday. He called on journalists to verify reports thoroughly so as "not to irritate Libyan public opinion."

On Thursday, TGRT television and a number of other Turkish media outlets reported, citing unidentified sources, that Turkey had leased the port of Khoms in Libya for 99 years. Turkey reportedly plans to turn the port into a military base for its combat drones and air defense systems. Ankara has yet to comment on the reports.

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