Libyan government

Libya's foreign minister on June 14 urged the U.N. Security Council to refer mass graves discovered in the city of Tarhuna to the International Criminal Court.

According to a written statement published by the Foreign Ministry on its Facebook account, Mohamed Siala sent a letter to the U.N. Security Council.

The U.N. is urging an investigation after the discovery of multiple mass graves in the city of Tarhuna, Libya, recently liberated from warlord Khalifa Haftar.

The Turkish defense minister and NATO secretary-general discussed Syria, Libya and regional issues in a phone call, the Turkish National Defense Ministry said in a statement on June 12.

Hulusi Akar and Jens Stoltenberg also exchanged views on NATO issues, said the statement.

Turkey's presidential spokesman İbrahim Kalın on June 12 said Ankara is in favor of a political solution in Libya.

Speaking to reporters after his official visit to Berlin, Kalın said Libyan warlord Khalifa Haftar violated the Berlin agreement like many others before it.

Kalın said the Libyan government has recently regained strategic locations and cities from Haftar.

Demining experts from the Turkish Armed Forces on June 11 started clearing civilian areas in Libya.

The move comes upon the request of the Libyan government to ensure the safe return of civilians to their homes located in areas liberated from warlord Khalifa Haftar's militia.

Turkey will relax stay-at-home measures for people over 65 years old and those under 18, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on June 9.

Around 7.5 million over-65s will now be able to go out every day from 10 am to 8 pm, Erdoğan said, relaxing a measure that had almost entirely forbidden them from going outside since March 21.

Turkey and Libya agreed to further increase cooperation in eastern Mediterranean, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on June 4.

Recalling a memorandum of understanding for maritime delimitation sealed between Turkey and Libya, Erdoğan said, "We agreed to develop new cooperation."

Turkey's presidential spokesman Ibrahim Kalın on June 1 held a phone conversation with U.S. National Security Advisor Robert C. O'Brien, according to the spokesperson's office.

The two officials discussed various issues including recent developments in Syria and Libya, the fight against COVID-19, the fight with terrorism, and recent protests in the U.S.

Turkey will not allow any uncertainty in Libya, said Vice President Fuat Oktay on May 29, and voiced full support for Libya's legitimate government.

Speaking at a virtual meeting of Atlantic Council and Turkish Heritage Organization, Oktay stressed that illegal forces loyal to renegade commander Khalifa Haftar should recognize Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj's government.

The normalization process will not be about abandoning measures all together but we have to adapt to the new normal, Turkey's presidential spokesperson said on May 23. 

"We need to get used to living with masks. Turkey will go down to history when this coronavirus pandemic is over and it is written down," Ibrahim Kalın said on local television station NTV.