Immediately after the decision was announced, in a statement to daily Asharq al-Awsat, Thinni accused Turkey of supporting terrorists in Libya and said, “Turkey’s position is wrong. We have to take countermeasures.
At the end of the day, Turkey will lose.” The Turkish Foreign Ministry responded by warning that unless Libyan officials change their attitudes, Turkey will take "necessary measures."
Assurances from Tripoli
Omar Hussein Bagyu, spokesman for the Tripoli government, which has good relations with Ankara, told Turkey’s official Anatolian Agency that the decision of the Tobruk administration applies only to the areas it controls. Ersin Takla, chairman of Turkey-Libya Business Council, is not as optimistic as the Tripoli government.
He said, “If you recognize the Tobruk government as the official government of Libya as the UN does, then we have to assume that decision applies to all of Libya. In such a situation, our account with Libya will be settled.”
The Thinni government controls Tobruk, Bayda and Ecdebiye in eastern Libya and Zintan and Zawiye in the west. Tripoli and Misrata are under the control of militiamen of Libyan Dawn, which supports Hasi.
In Benghazi, Ansar al-Sharia is dominant, and in Derme and parts of Sirte, IS. Many Turkish companies have suspended their operations in many places because of the clashes.
Turkey understates the crisis
Turkish businessmen are in tense waiting mode. Chairman of the Ankara Chamber of Industry Nurettin Ozdebir expressed their anxiety, saying, “Our businessmen who cannot collect the money owed to them now risk losing their machinery assets. We hope the government will find a solution."
