CAIRO: A military buildup around the Libyan city of Sirte has raised fears of a major battle for control of the area’s strategic oil reserves. The Libyan National Army (LNA), which has occupied Sirte since May, accused Turkey of targeting the oil-rich city and supplying militias in the area with weapons. The LNA is closely monitoring Turkey’s moves in Sirte and Al-Jufra, he added. “We expect an attack on Sirte by Turkey and the militias at any time,” Al-Mesmari said. Egyptian military expert Samir Farag said that oil is the main reason behind Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s interference in Libya.

Source: Ethiopian News July 09, 2020 16:41 UTC