Asharq Al-AwsatTurkey is boosting its influence across North Africa, analysts say, intervening militarily in war-torn Libya and using "soft power", trade and investment in Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco. Turkey helped the Tripoli-based GNA push back an offensive by forces loyal to eastern-based Libyan National Army commander Khalifa Haftar. Emadeddin Badi, an analyst at the Global Initiative Network, said that "Turkey is trying... to leverage its military investment for influence". In other outreach, Turkey helped in recent years with the restoration of the Ottoman-era Ketchaoua Mosque in Algiers. Turkish imports to the Maghreb region have risen sharply, especially "Made in Turkey" textiles that squeeze out locally made goods.

Source: Libya Today December 24, 2020 06:00 UTC