Turkey expands military cooperation with Libya's Haftar, easing Egyptian concerns

Turkey is moving beyond its historic support for Libya’s internationally recognised Tripoli government and is establishing technical and military cooperation with the eastern forces led by Khalifa Haftar. The partnership includes training programs for Libyan officers, development of surveillance systems and involvement of Turkish defence companies.

According to Al Jazeera, Ankara coordinates each step in Libya with Egypt, a longtime backer of Haftar, "Ankara does not take a single step in Libya without prior coordination with Egypt, effectively neutralising any potential friction on this issue." This coordination has muted the usual alarm in Cairo over a Turkish presence near Egypt’s border, suggesting a pragmatic rapprochement between former regional rivals.

The shift reshapes the balance of external influence in Libya and signals a broader alignment of Turkish and Egyptian strategic interests in the region.