Turkey expands Libya influence as Fidan meets Haftar amid US-backed reunification push – analysis

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan visited Khalifa Haftar in Benghazi on August 12, marking the first such high-level Turkish diplomatic visit to eastern Libya in over a decade. This visit, following meetings in Tripoli with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah, signifies Turkey's expanded influence across Libya, which has been divided since 2011. Turkey, a key supporter of the internationally recognized Government of National Unity in Tripoli, is now engaging with Haftar's Libyan National Army, which controls the east.

Turkey does not consider Libya's peace and stability separately from its own stability.

The outreach is seen as transforming Turkey's strategic gains in Tripoli into a broader architecture of influence, facilitated by normalization with Egypt. Israeli commentators expressed concern, viewing Turkey's maritime agreement with Libya as a strategic tool that could threaten regional shipping routes and Israel's economy. The visit also supports a US-backed reunification framework for Libya, aiming for security integration, political cooperation, and unified economic management, with potential American oil investments.